Beyond Sports Network Feature: Niko Lester

How do you obtain information about what is the best way to improve your skills (online, trainers, etc.)?

I used to collect all my resources off the Internet until I had enough material to do it myself and personally create my own workouts. All these years, I literally never had a trainer. Of course youtube itself played a big factor in gathering most of this information. But also from individual Players who have excelled great playing the game for over years (e.g. Estrus Crayton, John Clements).

In Life – They don’t say watch and learn for no reason. Once I see it, I manage to get it down pretty quick.

How would you like to see yourself promoted to other teams? Certain physical skills? Mental skills? Abilities? Please explain…

I believe that I am by far one of the most versatile players coming out of Europe/Germany. If not, the most versatile. I can play any Skill Position at a high competitive Level, which means, someone goes down and coach needs a person to get the job done just as good, I´m right there next to him, ready to go. Also, I just love the physical part of football but at the same time the mental part as well. It’s very strategic. Watching film and studying the man you will have to beat come game day, being better than the person across from you, that’s what it all comes down to. I´m a player that hates losing and gives everything in his power to not let his coaches and teammates down, come gameday. And whatever coach asks of me I give my all to get the job done. Period

Talk about what has transpired since your participation in the 2016 National Scouting Combine. Did you receive a workout? Tryout? Contract? And if so, with who and where?

Personally BSN 2016 was the kickstarter off setting my belief-bar as high as it could possibly be right now. I know for sure that I can compete on the highest level and with the best of them. I had several CFL Teams interested (e.g. Montreal Allouettes, Saskatchawan Roughriders ) but I ended up going to Finland SAJL for the season 2016 as I felt that I needed one more year to get the last piece of dog out of me, to be mentally and physically ready for NFL/CFL. Whenever that opportunity should come.

Recently I was blessed with signing a contract with the Bloomington Edge for the 2017 Champions Indoor Football League. For me personally this is the next big step as I always wanted to play in the states and prove that coming from Germany/Europe anything is possible. It all comes down to, HOW MUCH YOU REALLY WANT IT?!

Social Media can play both a positive and negative role in athlete’s lives… what is your approach when using social media and what are your goals on a monthly basis?

First of all, I’m not a big fan of social media, but it keeps me and my family across the world in touch. Especially with my family in the USA when I’m overseas playing Ball. When it comes to my social media pages like Facebook, or Instagram, I try to focus on only posting football related things. Most of my posts are about football, motivational speeches or in general, life inspiring posts. I want every coach/football fan/friend/family member to feel and know how much I really love and live this game

Once they visit my page www.facebook.com/therealgermarican

Instagram : shine4dime

nikolester2How do you train to stay focused on your position and improving everything from speed to strength and technique?

It all depends:

  • Off-season I try to hit the gym 5-6week/45min-1hour. 2 out of 5-6 days I hit the field and focus on speed, footwork and technique (Cardio).
  • In-Season. Since we have practice 3 times a week in Europe ( most of the Top Clubs )

I would cut down my Cardio days but still try to hit the gym 4-5 a week/45min.

I’ve learned that it is very critical to find your balance between working out and playing football In-Season. You need to know how much rest your body needs to prevent yourself from injuries.

And to stay focused I watch motivational and inspiring videos on youtube and think about my family in the US & Germany. Family is my motivation and keeps me focused and striving towards my goal.

How do you think the National Scouting Combine can be improved to help athletes get to where they want?

If you ask me the entire staff that is involved around BSN & the National Scouting Combine is doing an awesome job. Nothing really to add to that!

Just a thought of my own – maybe have own BSN Football Agents and assign them to the registered BSN athletes that had a good performance at the combine. For the ones that really have a shot at the next level. We all know it’s all about who you know, and then again, who that person knows.

Other than that , I would always recommend attending a National Scouting Combine if you really want to know how good you are, as you will have top competition at every position and are able to measure yourself with some of the best from all over the country.

How serious do you take your nutrition? Do you make this a key factor in supplementing your workouts?

Pasta and Rice with chicken, vegetables, eggs etc….Also can’t forget fruits.

That’s what I mainly eat, and in big portions. Daily! But I also have a cheat day once a weak, I’m not going to lie. I have to crave for different things, but only on this ‘special’ day.

nikolesterHow has the National Scouting Combine affected you?

Back then I already believed I can play in the big leagues NFL/CFL one day if I give it all I have and stay focused. Now I know for sure, I can play in the big Leagues after attending the National Scouting Combing!

Thanks again to the National Scouting Combine and all the people involved giving their best to get you to where you want to be!

Talk about your time in Europe and how that has molded you into the player you have become.

It’s simple. In Europe/Germany you pay to play Football. Sounds crazy, but that’s how it is. You play the game for the love of it. For the majority of Football Players in Europe it is a ‘hobby’ but I never looked at it that way, since I had a goal. Even way back, when it all seemed impossible to play in the big Leagues without playing College Football, something in my Heart told me that I can make it. Step by step.

So, being the caliber type Player I am myself, it’s a big blessing to play in Europe. You don’t just play one position. You might be needed on several Positions depending on the type of skillset you have. So compared to the states, where most of the players mainly have one position they play, I had the privilege to play and gain knowledge on both sides of the ball, play almost every skill position at a high level. Getting coached by American coaches and players from the US, I managed to perform pretty good at all these Positions. But the biggest plus that helped me get to where I am at today, is that I have two mentalities, the German and the American. Playing the game having the American mentality and not taking it as a hobby ‘as most of the Europeans‘ do, that made me the player I am today.

Plain and simple, this game changed my entire life. That’s the reason I love this game so much, play it with so much passion and will keep playing it, until I don’t feel perfectly happy with it anymore.

But there is way more to the story and journey….

What are a few things players in the USA need to know about playing in Europe… the good, the bad, etc.

I’ll do a quick listing here

Good:

  • • You receive pretty good contracts as an American Import, compared to other leagues in the US (other than NFL of course)
  • • Get to continue playing Football at a good, competitive level (after High School/College)
  • • Get to experience Europe in your free time (most of the Americans goal)
  • • You basically become a ‘coach’ as you pass on all the knowledge you gained from playing in the states to your teammates and your coaches.
  • • You establish a tight bond with your new teammates. It becomes a brotherhood.
  • • Playing in Germany/GFL (most competitive league in all Europe) can get you a shot with the NFL

Those are just a few, but you’ll definitely experience way more positive things once you get signed and touchdown in Europe. Nothing to lose – Only to win!

Bad:

There is really nothing negative I can come up with, playing in Europe as an American Import. Maybe that you won’t get most of the food here in Europe, you eat back at home. Haha

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National Scouting Combine Posts

“I would like to start this message by thanking you and everyone involved who made this opportunity possible. I am truly grateful for the experience and atmosphere you’ve cultivated through the National Scouting Combine. My journey has not been an easy one by any means. Losing my mother in 2017 to cancer, losing the house my brothers and I called home before attending this very event in 2018, and completely bombing the event left me completely shot mentally. This event that just took place gave me the motivation and hope for better days. That is exactly what has been provided to me. Opportunities I never considered have presented themselves to me with each passing day. WWE contract offers, Rugby offers, and NFL scout inquiries about what kind of man Jarrod Cann is, are just the first of many opportunities that were made real through my participation in your event! Thank you for allowing me to tell my story on such a platform and allowing me to save lives with my story.”
Jarrod Cann
Jarrod CannRB, Central Connecticut State
“The National Scouting Combine was a great opportunity for me to get official test numbers and get my information out to teams and scouts to gain necessary exposure. It is always a big challenge for athletes to get official verified numbers but the National Scouting Combine gave me this opportunity. The entire staff works with the players to put them into the best position to succeed. They give players opportunities to promote themselves on and off the field. They have a setup to do all combine tests and to perform official position drills. The event also allows for players to gain useful contacts with teams and National Scouting Combine staff members to further promote themselves. The National Scouting Combine provided me with a chance to showcase my abilities as a free agent and put myself in a good position to have success in my pursuit to play professional football. I want thank the National Scouting Combine staff for giving players this unique chance to demonstrate their skills.”
Chris Bury
Chris BuryTE, Notre Dame
“I had a great experience at the combine. The whole staff was extremely positive and really wanted the best for all of the players that attended. Being that I was a free agent and a season removed from NFL camps it was crucial for me to get new numbers to show I was still working hard. My only opportunity so far came from a scout who attended the combine. As players that’s why we attend these events, to be seen by the pro levels. I’m very greatful for the opportunity that was came from the combine. I’ll be recommending it to every player possible in the future who’s looking to go pro.”
Dillon Salva
Dillon SalvaTE, Merrimack
My experience at the National Scouting Combine was an extremely positive one. Coming from a small school (Bryant University – Division I AA), opportunities to showcase my athleticism and measurables to pro scouts were scarce. However, Jimmy and his team gave me that opportunity when they put together a first-class event, in an outstanding venue and invited hundreds of players that had been overlooked or just wanted the opportunity to showcase their abilities. The connections, advice and coaching I received at the 2018 National Scouting Combine were priceless, as many pro scouts and coaches began to get in contact with me during and immediately after the combine. Jimmy and his team did an outstanding job of incorporating new, cutting edge technologies into the combine, while inviting well-respected coaches, scouts and former professional players to run the drills and provide coaching. Jimmy provided me with a platform to chase my dream of playing professional football that I would not otherwise have had, and in turn is part of the reason why many CFL teams took interest in me, why I was invited to Rookie Minicamps with the Jets and Texans and why I have now signed with the Orlando Apollo’s of the new Alliance of American Football League. The invitation to the 2018 National Scouting Combine was a blessing to me and my career and I would recommend any and all small school or overlooked college football player to attend and take advantage of this combine that, with Jimmy leading it, will continue to get better every single year.
Matt Sewell
Matt SewellWR, Bryant University
“My testimonial would be because of COVID-19, it has hindered my ability to showcase my talents at pro days, workouts, and tryouts. But, because of the NSC I can still send official numbers and video to each team, while also gaining the opportunity to meet scouts in face and build a relationship with them. Lastly, the NSC is second only to the NFL combine which helps me have something else to hang my hat on as one of the top performers!”
Jamal Ware
Jamal WareLB, Maryville College
“Thank you for the support and helping with promoting me for the next level. I am most definitely interested and my experience at the national scouting combine was incredible. It was my first official opportunity and it was a professional combine. All verified, legitimate laser times and numbers are vital to have especially in the times we are facing today. All of the coaches and personnel involved were professional in every aspect. It is such a blessing to have the opportunity to be apart of the national scouting combine and I can’t be more grateful to have verified numbers.”
Kyle Haines
Kyle HainesWR, Shippensburg
“First and foremost I would like to thank the NSC staff for giving me the opportunity to showcase my skills in front of scouts and allow myself to get relevant combine numbers. This combine is by far the best Combine I have been to. The rooms were great and the food that was provided by NSC was great as well. You can feel that they had a passion for helping those who may not have had an NFL Combine invite and others who are just chasing that opportunity. They were extremely supportive and willing to market the players in every way possible. I was beyond impressed with the testing once we got going. Everything was very organized and professional just as it should be. When it came to the testing they had both hand time and laser time which makes your test times that much more official. The number of scouts that attended the Scouting Combine was even better. This staff truly knows how to put together a legit A+ combine experience and was by far the best combine experience I have been a part of.”
Nolan Saraceni
Nolan SaraceniRB, Montana Tech
“I was fortunate enough to be a participant in the 2020 BSN Scouting Combine as it was an experience that I will surely never forget. Not only did it open opportunities for me to play football at the professional level, but it also shed light on my path to a football dream as an underdog. Not many athletes get this sort of opportunity and I am just blessed to have been apart of it.”
Tyler Anderson
Tyler AndersonRB, Thomas More University
Pursuing a career in professional football from a small school is a lonely path. A prospect may have the support of his peers, family, and teammates, but the process can be overwhelming and very confusing. Often times small school prospects don’t have access to the resources provided to prospects at football powerhouses. “How can I get myself in front of scouts? How can I prove to them that I can play at the next level?” These are only a few of the many questions that race through a potential prospects mind on a daily basis. The Beyond Sports Network National Combine helped simplify this process for many of the players that attended, including myself. Despite the combine being held for a few days, the information and services provided by the combine, as well as the sense of community between the staff members and prospects stood out to me. Every test that would be performed at the NFL combine was covered, every coach and staff member supported each prospect to an unbelievable extent, and the amount of scouts and agents in attendance and how interactive they were was impressive. The Beyond Sports Network National Scouting Combine was a critical step in attempting to take my talents to the next level. If you are a small school prospect with no clear path to the next level, the National Scouting Combine will certainly clear up the path for you.
Schnayder Termidor
Schnayder TermidorLB, Ithaca College
BSN gave me the platform I needed to be respected as a athlete. I came to there first Combine in 2010. I was pulled by every NFL, CFL scout. At that time there were a couple really good WRs including a SEC top WR who NFL scouts were coming to see. Once I put up good #s in my Testing Drills, we did one on ones. I showed my great covering skills to the point all the scouts herd the WRs talking and asking who was this guy. Then BSN promoted me and my numbers and I received workouts on all levels. I became a name in the business. Having legit numbers and respectable organization backing you is what you need. Everyone can say they can play and perform but coaches and scouts don’t believe you. BSN gives you the stage to perform and prove them wrong and get the opportunity you deserve. Because of BSN I was able to create a long professional career and when needed comeback to prove I could still play at a high level.
Cedeno Patrick
Cedeno PatrickLB, Delaware State
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