Student Athletes

No matter what sport you play or what type of intercollegiate athletic program you become a part of (NCAA Division I, II, or III or the NAIA, etc.), you need to know that the level of intensity and the level of commitment required increases significantly when you reach the college level. Whereas many students are able to be two and even three sport athletes in high school, college often requires you to commit to just one because that program (and that coach) will have certain requirements for your fitness, your training and focus, and also (very importantly!) on your academics as well. (Without scaring anyone away, the simplest terms I can put it into is to say that, as an intercollegiate athlete, your program owns you.) For the majority of college athletes, however, this is exactly what you're hoping to find when you graduate to the collegiate level, so it's exciting to become a part of it. That's where the focus on your academics has to factor in as a major component, because you won't get to play if you're failing in the classroom. So remember that you are first a STUDENT, then an ATHLETE - and have fun out there!

The majority of college-bound athletes are truly passionate about their sport - they've put the time in during their high school careers and they are definite about wanting to move that experience to the college level. Luckily for them, that's EXACTLY the type of enthusiasm, dedication, leadership, and outside of the classroom information that admission officers are hoping to learn from their applications! Bottom line: Sports are said to be character-building and colleges and universities don't want to admit only students who study and get good grades; instead, they want students who have skills that have been acquired outside of the classroom. The lessons learned on the playing field are invaluable and students who can demonstrate in their application how they have been shaped by those experiences are going to be more admissable than their less active counterparts.

In general, a lot earlier than the average student. Many college athletes will have been recruited although maybe not signed up from as young as 13 years old (especially for basketball, baseball and football). If you are a student athlete that is in a position where you have not been heavily recruited by college coaches for whatever reason, the best way to get seen is to start making yourself known. How do you do that? there are many opportunities .... Start looking for high school showcase opportunities in which you can perform in front of college coaches and show what your made of. If you are contacting coaches from universities which are not local, start building connections with college assistant coaches e.g. e-mail them (this has to be clear, concise and well presented) try to put together some valuable footage of you performing your sport in a competitive setting (not in your backyard or with a mate). With video footage its about quality not quantity so edit to put your best moments on one dvd. Assistant coaches are generally better to contact as the head coach of many sports programs are consistently bombarded with prospective athletes like yourself, and often assistance coaches have a heavy hand in the recruiting process. I have many other key tips for prospective student athletes, however you will have to contact me directly for such information.

One of the most important things to know is the difference between Divisions I, II, and III. Often people assume that DI is inherently the best, DII second best, and DIII third best. It's not quite that simple. While the best DI teams will usually have the best players, there are many top DII and DIII teams that are often on par with many mid- and low-tier DI teams. What this means for you as an athlete is that you should focus less on the division label and more on what school has the best balance of academics, social characteristics, and athletics.

Typically the best time to start is late in your sophomore year or early in your junior year of high school. Starting then lets you be thorough in your search. It also gives you the opportunity to get ahead of the curve, before most college teams have locked down their recruiting classes. That said, many athletes don't start until late in their junior or senior years. While this isn't ideal, many such athletes have still been very successful with recruiting. Either way, the most important thing is to be organized and have a clear strategy on how you're going to make a team.

The financial aid process works the same for prospective athletes as it does for all other prospective students; it is the scholarship process that differs. Prospective athletes, like prospective academic scholarship candidates, need to determine what each university is likely to offer. Division III schools do not offer athletic scholarships. Division I and II institutions may offer full or partial scholarships and the remaining balance is what a student may need additional financial aid to cover. Recent (2012) NCAA policies require university athletic departments to clearly explain scholarship amounts and duration. As with all money matters, families need to understand the process and ask a lot of questions before making a final decision.

Recruitment begins with talent and it’s never too early to develop skill, strength, and discipline. As an underclassmen prospective athletes should become familiar with the recruiting rules for their sport by downloading a copy of the “NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete.” Students and parents should begin discussing the process with their high school and club coaches and looking at colleges that would be a good fit athletically. By junior year, students should be narrowing down options. Some students will have official campus visits or sign letters of intent as early as junior year and others may be forced by NCAA recruiting regulations to wait until senior year.

Being recruited by a college to play a sport that you love is very exciting, especially when there is a healthy scholarship included! But, there are a lot of responsibilities that come with that recruitment and, quite frankly, time management is the key to success. You must never forget that you are earning an education! Being able to juggle the responsibilities to your team and to your studies is a skill. A few other things to consider: 1) You've received an offer! It's a great team, but is it a great school for you? Do you match up with the school's academic environment? Does the school have a major that interests you? How about the social environment? 2) Read the "fine print" before you commit. What GPA must you maintain? Is your scholarship "guaranteed" each year? What if you get injured? What if the school drops the sport? Anything can happen at any time and it's your future that could be affected! It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of the recruitment process, but pay attention to the details! Best of luck!

Start with your Art Teacher! Talk a little about what your "niche" is and see if they are aware of the best schools to hone your skills as an artist. They are also a great resource for when you are putting together your portfolio which will be essential for when you begin to apply to your schools of choice. Best of luck!

If the student is a top athlete in a sport which is important to a particular college and thus is the coach's top recruit it can be a very important hook. However, not only does it have to be the right sport but also the right position, ex. goalie for the soccer team or line backer for the football team. The relationship with the coach is key.