Don't Be Misled.

_ What Your High School Athlete Should Understand

With the National Football Championship decided, it won't be long before the Final Four is upon us.  Then sometime later this year approximately 400,000 US college athletes will head back to their campuses to begin another year of college sports. What many parents and high school athletes are not aware of is that there is more than 20 times more academic aid available than athletic scholarships.  About two percent of high school athletes receive an athletic scholarship and even more amazing is that of all the athletes in colleges and universities, only about 33% have athletic scholarships.[i]

Literally thousands of dollars are spent every year by parents hoping to hone the skills of their child through “club sports” hoping for that elusive scholarship.  Unfortunately most of the money spent in this aspiration is, in general, a waste.

And furthermore, Division I schools are not for every athlete or student.  There are more academic scholarships available at Division II and III schools than at DI schools…so consider these schools as you think about scholarship opportunities for your child,  not only in athletics, but also in academics.
 
Here are some other interesting facts.

The Four Year Ride Myth. 
    Anyone, including any coach, that promises your student athlete a “Full Four Year Ride Athletic Scholarship” is misleading you and your child.  Contrary to opinion and the average individual’s understanding, guaranteed four year full ride athletic scholarships are good for one year at a time and can be renewable at the coach’s or athletic director’s discretion.  An injury to an athlete may cause the athlete to lose his, or her scholarship.

College Sports May Leave Little Time to Study. 
    Having been a college athlete, I remember how much time it took to meet the “requirements” of my commitment to sports.  “In season” we spent a minimum of 20 hours and sometimes as much as 30 hours per week in practice and games…add in travel and it is like a full time job, all while trying to meet academic requirements to maintain eligibility.  Easy for some, and much harder for others.  Great study habits help, so make sure your child is prepared.

What about Recruiting Services? 
    I’m not sure that recruiting services benefit the student athlete.  My personal dealings with any of these groups is minimal; however, I have been told by numerous coaches I know that they object to the interference of some of the services.  I think parents can do most of the work themselves.  The NCAA publishes guides for student athletes and parents and most schools will have departments within the athletic area to assist in putting together all the necessary information that might be needed.  Of course, if your child happens to be a superstar, there won’t be much need for anything except to sit back and wait.  They will come…in droves.

Video. 
    Don’t waste money on expensive video production for your student athlete.  For ease of communication when the time is right an email to the coach with a link to several YouTube videos of the athlete in action will accomplish the goal.  Coaches see thousands of athletes every year.  They know what they are looking for and how to evaluate the players they need.  A coach would far rather be able to use the Internet than having yet another DVD to clutter his desk.  Top collegiate coaches receive hundreds if not thousands of DVDs every year.

Academics. 
    It may all be about sports to the coaches, but grades are going to be important.  For acceptance certain requirements are necessary for each school, so make sure you have SAT or ACT scores, GPA and any other pertinent academic information for the coach.  Some schools have far more restrictive admission requirements beyond those established by the NCAA, so be prepared to understand what the requirements may be and how to insure your student meets them, and how to exceed the minimum.  For detailed information, go to the NCAA website and download the “Division I Toolkit” which can be found under the Student-Athlete Experience tab.  Don’t forget that it is not the NCAA that sets the standard for the school and decides anything about admission, nor does the coach.  The college or university will have an admissions department that will ultimately make the final decision.

How early is too soon? 
    I have personally represented more than 40 professional athletes in my career.  I have watched high school athletes become college athletes, recruited collegiate athletes and have been told by a number of coaches that great college coaches begin to start looking at talented players as early as middle school for sports such as basketball and volleyball.  If a budding athlete is interested in playing Division I especially, the parents need to make contact with college programs they are interested in as early as 7th grade for basketball and volleyball or by the end of 9th grade.  But, don't waste a coaches valuable time unless you have been told by an independent observer that your child has unbelievable potential.  We all feel our kids are going to become the next superstar, but like you may be, I have always been prejudiced toward my kids, so it is critical that you remain impartial at this critical age.

The Myth about Recruiting Letters. 
    Because your child received a recruiting letter from a coach or school does not insure eligibility, access or an offer for a scholarship.  After years of hard work, for a teen to receive a letter from a college coach is very thrilling.  But, remember, many college coaches look at recruiting like fishing; sometimes you have to put a lot of lines in the water to get a bite.  Many coaches send out hundreds of letters based on data provided to them from a myriad of sources including other coaches, staff, tracking services, videos and many other materials.  A letter does not insure an offer.  Be prepared both for the possibility of success and failure.  Try to insure that your student is prepared for both.

No time for anything else. 
    Big schools (Division I) with larger programs typically require more time from the student athlete.  Therefore other enhancement programs like internships or study programs are usually not even an option.  If this might be something that is going to be an educational benefit for your student, then considering a Division II school may be a better choice as the time constraints are significantly less.  Remember as pointed out previously, with 30 hours dedicated to games and practice and 15 to 18 hours in class every week, it leaves little other precious time for study and class preparation…along with time to eat and sleep.

All this being said, take time to relish and enjoy the time your child has in school and with high school athletics.  He or she may be destined to be a star at some college or university, but also be prepared in case that elusive athletic scholarship slips from view.  There will be other options for your child in college. I remember how much my daughter enjoyed Intramural athletics at Baylor University; so much so that she ended up being in charge of some programs there and going on to get her Masters Degree in Sports Management.  So, enjoy the moments and encourage your student athlete to excel.  Maybe an athletic scholarship is on the horizon, but if not, there are lots of other options for him or her. 

 

[i] Karen Weaver, EdD, director of Athletics for Penn State University-Abington