Local Biz Scores Big With Student Athletes and College Coaches

You may drive by it several times a day, and not really notice the quiet storefront on Roseland Avenue, but when student athletes want to score big with college coaches, they know where to call – SSP Video.

Located at 127 Roseland Ave, Caldwell,(SSP), creates custom sports videos for student athletes who want to play their sport at the college level.

“We help students reach coaches at schools nationwide,” says founder and owner Ron Sticco. “Whether it is a Division I, II or III school, we reach out to coaches directly through e-mail and our secure website. We place the student information directly into their hands and onto their computer.”

Founded in 1991, Sticco started SSP after his own son, Jay, a talented baseball player at Riverdell High School, Oradell, was interested in playing college ball. After a television crew filmed one of Jay’s games, Sticco asked to see the film and requested a copy, hoping to use it to help his son reach the college coaches. Although he couldn’t use the film, an idea was born.

“I didn’t know how to help my son,” said Sticco. “I knew that the film was good and that it could really make an impact, but I didn’t know exactly what to do.” Sticco pursued the idea and began SSP that same year.

Creating highlight videos – now DVDs -- for any sport, SSP video professionals travel to both home and away games, compiling highlights from one, two or even three seasons. Statistics and other relevant information, including school statistics, grade point averages, and contact information, are added to the three-to-five minute long DVD, creating a complete video resume.

For team sports, such as football or lacrosse, SSP uses an arrow that identifies the student’s position on the field and in the play. Other techniques, including slow motion video, showing the play from multiple angles, and even background music, complete the picture.  

Now, 20 years later, sons Jay and Jim also work for SSP. Jay, is vice president, the director of operations and senior videographer, supervising field personnel and interfacing with customers. Jim, who joined SSP in 2001, focuses on the technology end of the business, ensuring that SSP hardware and software is innovative and of the highest quality.

Coaches interested in the service sign up to receive videos via e-mail that highlight the students playing their specific sport. In addition, SSP offers a secure video library on its website, and provides its customers with DVDs to mail directly to the schools in which they are most interested.

"It is important to make as good an impression as possible in as little time as possible," said Sticco. "We know what we do is working because our customers are getting into the colleges of their choosing. Because of our service, they now have options."

SSP moved to Caldwell 10 years ago, and has created videos for student athletes from throughout New Jersey, and as far away as California and Washington.  Students from both public and private high schools have signed on with the company, and their wall of fame boasts the names of many talented athletes.

“We feel good about what we do,” said Jay Sticco. “We help students get into the colleges of their choice.”