As we all know by now, social networking sites are considered to be a part of the daily routine of most peoples’ lives. When anything good, bad, exciting, or sad happens, our first thought is to write about it on Facebook, Twitter, or a blog. For student-athletes, especially, social media sites can either make you or break you when moving forward.

Working towards a goal or a dream can be incredibly taxing. We understand our clients are working towards the goal of playing their sport in college. Early practices, late practices, double sessions, weight training and more, plus academics, work and a social life are a lot to fit in for the student athlete. Many athletes do an excellent job of creating a balance of the many demands in their life. But sometimes, becoming burnt-out may seem unavoidable.

School is out for the summer! Now it is time to redirect your focus to life beyond high school. But for athletes who are aspiring to play a sport in college, summer is no snooze. It is time to work hard, get seen and see schools. So what do you need to do and when do you need to do it?

Are you looking to feel more confident as you look to prepare for college sports and the recruiting process? At SportsForce we hear many different questions, opinions and stories from student-athletes, parents and coaches all the time.

The 2010 MLB Draft is June 7-9 and while this may be a down year for top-flight talent from Arizona, the state will again provide a bumper crop of quality players to choose from. The draft is 50 rounds so more than 1,500 players will be selected. Here are just 15 of the names with local connections that should be called at some point during the three-day affair.

Andrew Beinbrink, CEO of SportsForce, passes along advice for high school athletes who are going through the college recruiting process.

Camelback Ranch-Glendale CBR-G, the spring-training home of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago White Sox, will host the Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) 5A-I and 4A-I baseball tournaments from May 4–15.

The NFL Draft takes place from April 22-24 in its first year of the new three-day format. There aren’t many NFL Draft prospects with roots to the Valley, but what the group lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality. MVP Magazine provides a look at the NFL Draft prospects who played high school football in Arizona.

The Gatorade Company, in collaboration with ESPN RISE, announced on Friday that Corey Hawkins of Estrella Foothills High School is its 2009-10 Gatorade Arizona Boys Basketball Player of the Year.

The Amateur Athletic Union of the United States Inc. (AAU) refutes involvement in the Arizona Cactus Classic of 2008 which has led the University of Arizona to self report recruiting violations to the NCAA.