Buccaneers Facility Hosts NATS Combine

On April 5, high school football players from the south Florida area paid a visit to the world-class training facility of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to partake in a National Athletic Testing System (NATS) combine to help them prepare for success in both football and academics at the next level – college.

The NATS program is in many respects an athletic version of the Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) for high school football players. It is a nationwide standardized athletic performance test that produces results that can be used to track and compare the players’ athletic ability and development. NATS is also, however, a means of providing players, parents, coaches and guidance counselors important information and services pertaining to college recruiting, NCAA academic requirements, financial aid and athletic performance analysis and preparation.

The participants were given a unique opportunity to hone not only their football skills, but also their mental abilities. That’s because in addition to the football-related tests the players participated in, they also sat in on a Princeton Review seminar to help the college-bound athletes prepare for entrance exams and the admissions process.

Upon arriving at the facility and going through the registration process, the Princeton Review session gave the players the chance to ask questions about the college application process, get some advice on financial aid and learn about preparing to take the SAT/ACT exams.

The players then went through a battery of tests to measure their physical skills, including the 40-yard dash, bench presses at 185 pounds, the short shuttle, the three-cone shuttle and standing broad jump. The drills replicate those performed at the yearly NFL Combine, where potential draftees showcase their abilities to personnel from around the league, and tailor them to serve the high-school football player. Additionally, the standardization and uniformity with which NATS conducts the tests insures the accuracy of the data.

Players also had their height and weight measured and were given the opportunity to have a body photo taken so that prospective coaches could assess the player’s body type, size and mass.

Along with the results of the physical tests, these college-minded athletes are hoping to drum up some interest from college football coaches across the country in hopes of continuing their athletic and academic careers at the collegiate level. Luckily for them, the NATS database is presently used by over 600 colleges nationwide as a tool for initial player evaluations, with player results being forwarded to ALL Colleges and Universities across the country.

Here’s a look at some of the top performers from the combine held at the Bucs’ facility: