Play Offense When Seeking Athletic Scholarships
December 9, 2009 by John Barnett
Students in 2009 (and their families) can expect to pay about $80,000 for a four-year college program. What’s more, that figure continues to rise at the rate of 6.5% every year. If you are considering a private school, go ahead and double it. If, however you’ve been a good sport – literally – throughout high school, chances are you can look beyond standard student loans, financial aid and grants for assistance. Why not apply for an athletic scholarship? About $1.2 billion in scholarship money is awarded to students every year in exchange for their performance on various fields. Here are a few of the basics for you to kick around:
1. Age matters! To qualify to play sports at the college level you must be between’ and 24 years old. Your chances of landing a scholarship decrease the longer you wait to attend college after high school graduation, so plan to go straight from high school to college.
2. There are 29 sports recognized by the National College Athletic Association, or NCAA. Women are eligible to win scholarships in the following categories: Synchronized Swimming, Swimming and Diving, Water Polo, Ice Hockey, Gymnastics, Archery, Squash, Lacrosse, Skiing (Cross Country and Downhill), Rowing and Field Hockey, Basketball, Volleyball, Track & Field (Indoor and Outdoor), Soccer, Tennis, Equestrian, Fencing, Golf.
The men’s sports are: Wrestling, Baseball, Water Polo, Basketball, Volleyball, Cross Country, Track & Field (Indoor & Outdoor), Tennis, Fencing, Swimming and Diving, Football, Golf, Gymnastics, Ice Hockey, Rifle, Skiing (Cross Country and Downhill), Lacrosse and Soccer.
3. Recruiters don’t always come to you. In fact most of the time, you have to make yourself known to collegiate coaches. One way to do so is to create a packet of information about your high school athletic career (a sports bio and media clips will do nicely) and make sure it reaches the coach about the same time that you are submitting the rest of your application materials.
4. Before you can be considered for an athletic scholarship, you need to have earned admission to the college based on your academic offering. (Note: The SAT is the entrance exam required for collegiate sports consideration.)
If you are lucky enough to land a full athletic scholarship, you have some thinking to do. College sports, while exciting, aren’t a golden ticket toward a lucrative professional sports contract after graduation. You’ll need to choose a major in a field that holds your interest so that you can launch a career outside of sports once you hang up your cleats (racket, swim cap, whatever). Success comes in many forms, so be ready for everything that life might bring.
John Barnett is a high school baseball and soccer coach. He earned a masters degree at an online college and is considering several online colleges for additional study.
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