As a parent, Lamont McCann first ran into the frustration of the modern collegiate recruiting world when his son, Monty - a standout running back for Douglas High football team - started looking for somewhere to play after his senior season in 2001.
It was several years later, when McCann - a former football and wrestling standout at Douglas High himself - took over at the helm of the Douglas wrestling program, that he started running into the same frustrations as a coach.
Only then did he realize the problems he'd had trying to get schools to take a look at his son ran across the board for many athletes in the area.
"You have your slam dunk kids who are the blue-chip, prototypical prospect," McCann said. "The Division I schools will find those kids, but they are so few and far between.
"What I started noticing, especially in Northern Nevada, is that there were so many kids who were on 'the bubble,' so to speak.
"They had the ability, the desire and the work ethic to play at the next level, but no one knew they were here. As a coach and as a parent, it was hard to know what it was they were looking for.
"There's no manual on how to do this, or even who to contact. It can be very tough for families who have not had experience with this before."
McCann won a wrestling state championship in 1983 and is ths school's all-time leading rusher in football, rolling up 2,577 yards in his three-year career. As a coach, he posted a 42-8-1 record in dual matches and led Douglas to three Sierra League titles.
McCann left the wrestling program after the 2008-09 season due to job obligations. He has since established himself as a recruiting scout in the area.
"I spent a couple of years looking around at the services that were being offered out there," he said. "Some of them are just in it for the money. I was looking for someone that was in it for the kids, to help them get to the next level.
"That's what a lot of people don't realize, is that there are a ton of schools out there, but it's about finding the proper fit for everyone involved. A lot of these smaller schools have really had their recruiting budgets slashed during the tough economic times, and it's even harder than before to get noticed."
McCann hooked up with a four-year-old company out of Dayton, Ohio - Swarm Recruiting Service - because he said he felt they matched up with the ideals he was looking for.
He is now employed as Swarm's Nevada and California representative.
"They boast an 81 percent success rate," he said. "That's unheard of for a service like this.
"There are just so many kids, especially in a rural area like this, but because they aren't the prototypical size or have the right numbers on paper, they don't get a look."
Swarm sends detailed files on its client athletes to colleges across the country.
"They help you produce a resume, and they know what colleges are looking for," McCann said. "They provide an editing service to help create a DVD with highlight video and one game film and then they send it to anywhere between 100 and 1,000 schools.
"It's pretty comprehensive."
McCann said he is trying to get the word out now, as many student-athletes head into the summer club and offseason circuit.
"I just want people to know I'm in the area and I'm available to help," he said.
For more information, visit www.swarmrecruiting.net or call McCann at 781-5307.
