The college football recruiting journey is far more complicated than most families realize.
On this episode of Fighting For Overtime, host Tony Cutillo sits down with Tonja Pacheco, the creator of Football Mom 2027, to break down the real work behind getting athletes noticed.
After losing her husband and raising five children, Tonja turned her focus toward helping her son chase his dream of playing Division I football. Along the way, she discovered just how confusing, expensive, and often misleading the recruiting landscape can be for parents and athletes.
Through her platform Football Mom 2027, Tonja now shares the lessons she learned navigating the process—from social media strategy and exposure to avoiding recruiting scams and understanding how college coaches actually evaluate prospects.
In this episode, we discuss:
🏈 The real role parents play in recruiting
📱 Why Twitter is the most important recruiting platform
⚠️ Recruiting scams and overpriced services families must avoid
💪 The time, discipline, and strategy behind exposure
🥗 Nutrition, training, and athlete development
🧠 Mental health, burnout, and balancing the grind
Tonja also explains how consistent content, coach engagement, and strategic networking helped put her son on the radar of major college programs. This conversation offers a rare behind-the-scenes look at the recruiting process from a parent who is living it every day.
If you’re a parent, athlete, or coach navigating youth sports recruiting, this episode is packed with insight.
Follow Tonja on X: fbmom2027
Follow on IG: footballmom2027
Follow on the web: https://footballmom2027.com/www.footballmom2027.com
***Don't forget to subscribe, rate, and review wherever you get your podcasts. Also, please leave your stories in the comments or send them to me privately (fightingforovertime@gmail.com). Remember, you are not alone!
Follow the show here on all platforms: www.linktr.ee/fightingforovertime
SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/WS3E97YEZGCSJ
About Fighting For Overtime
In this podcast, we dive deep into the world of youth sports, exploring the highs and lows of young athletes. Join Coach Tony as he uncovers the triumphs and tribulations of young athletes striving for excellence amidst the pressures of competition, parental expectations, and societal demands. This program will offer listeners a personal connection to the challenges and triumphs faced by athletes and parents as they strive for success while grappling with their mental health.
#FootballRecruiting #YouthSports #FootballMom2027 #CollegeFootballRecruiting #StudentAthlete #RecruitingTips #D1Football #HighSchoolFootball #AthleteDevelopment #SportsParents #FootballJourney #NIL #RecruitingProcess #TonyCutilloShow #FightingForOvertime
No comments yet. Be the first to say something!