It’s called “higher education” for a reason
June 30th, 2008 - byYou’re probably reading this blog because you or someone you know wants to play a sport in college. Either that, or you’re really bored (but good choice on how to keep yourself occupied).
I tell every family I talk to that getting recruited to play sports is a great outlet for obtaining a scholarship and getting into college. But is that the reason to go to college? It’s a simple case of “Now, so then” – what are you doing now to affect what happens later?
Are you playing a sport so you can go to college, OR are you going to college to play a sport?
Matt Bracken, a reporter for the Baltimore Sun and writer of “Recruiting Report”, wrote about University of Maryland signee Bradley Johnson and how he decided to become a Terp. And believe it or not, Johnson, who received offers from prestigious programs such as Virginia Tech and West Virginia, chose Maryland because of what they didn’t talk about: football. From the posting:
The outside linebacker prospect said his conversation with Maryland head coach Ralph Friedgen about everything but football helped seal the deal.
“I talked to the head coach and all we really talked about was my future during college and after,’ Johnson said. ‘That’s basically what pushed Maryland on top.”
Johnson said his discussions with Friedgen dealt mostly with academics and internship opportunities.
“He encourages his players to find … their niche, and that’s really what stood out,’ Johnson said. ‘I can get internships during the summer, good job opportunities. … They’re in like the fourth largest media market [in the country]. Where they’re located, I can basically [have the opportunity to get] any job. There are a lot of opportunities around the area to help me find out what I want to do.”
As my colleague Melissa Babb-Renta wrote on Friday, “There is so much more that goes into attending a college and playing a sport …”
A large chunk of that “so much more” is getting an education. In the above story, Johnson chose Maryland because of its 
superb school of journalism. He understands that a microscopic percentage of student-athletes go on to play professional football, so he picked a school that had a tremendous program of his liking (how do you find that school?). And even if Johnson were to get drafted in four years, he has an education to fall back on. In addition to meaning “National Football League,” the NFL is also commonly known by many to mean “Not For Long.”
Even if you don’t aspire to playing in the pro ranks, competing in a varsity sport is a huge time commitment, one which, at times, will tempt you to make it your top priority. Remember that college is referred to as ”higher education“, and that your ability to balance school and sport makes you that much more exceptional.
