NCSA College Athletic Scholarships Blog

 Why do high school student athletes want to play collegiate athletics?  I speak with so many student athletes who express that commitment on a daily basis and often times I wonder if they truly realize the advantages of being a collegiate athlete. Outside of love for their sport which is the best reason to want to continue to play at the next level, I believe that if student athletes realized the ancillary benefits of partaking in collegiate athletics, their desire to maximize the recruiting process would increase significantly. 

I have often contemplated writing a list of all the rewards that accompany playing collegiate athletics to pass along to prospective student athletes, but quickly realized that it might take hours if not days.  Secondary advantages such as an immediate community of possible friends on a new college campus all the way to an instant alumni network for career opportunities after college fall into this extensive list that student athletes should think about.  I believe it will inherently create more value on the goal at hand and thus a greater attention to the steps required to achieve that goal.   

Student athletes should realize that a love for their sport should serve as their main motivation for working hard in the classroom, on the field, and throughout the recruiting process.  However, they should also understand the ramifications of taking part in collegiate athletics and how that might change their entire life.  Knowing what’s at stake, every student athletes should make sure to maximize this process.  What are some other advantages that college athletes receive?  I think that is a topic well worth a discussion…

Congratulations! You’ve just won a new bedroom! Pick which room you want!

A)  

or

B)

Wait, you didn’t chose “B”? Why not?

“Because it’s small, dark and ugly and ‘A’ is large, bright and beautiful!”

OK, point taken. If given the choice between round steak and fillet mignon, which one are you going to choose? Obvisiously, the one with the fancy french name.

The same definitely holds true with college recruiting. While program prestige, playing time and philosophies are all important to prospects, so are the facilities in which they’re going to be spending the bulk of their time — weight rooms, recreation centers, natatoriums, practice facilities, stadiums and arenas. As a result, colleges are constantly trying to make their playing spaces the most luxurious and most updated. Recently, Michigan State spent almost $100 million for renovations to their football, basketball, field hockey and track facilities.

“From a recruiting standpoint, it takes us to the top of the Big Ten,”  head football coach Mark Dantonio said in the article. “I think it presents an image.”

More than just the aesthetic facet, a college’s facilities are a great indicator of the state of the program. In most cases, schools with a lot of recent success while be undergoing various facility improvements. For example, Northwestern University’s women’s lacrosse team, which just won their fourth straight national championship, played a big role in the construction of Lakeside Field, which is also used for soccer. NU’s softball team, which played in the Women’s College World Series two years ago and was nationally ranked this year, had renovations performed to its field in 2006.

It’s not just Div. I institutions that are getting in on the Extreme Makeover: Athletic Facility Edition (FYI: not a real show). From an article written by Eric Kelderman from the Chronicle of Higher Education:

“With more than four score cheering alumni and administrators watching, Gettysburg College last month broke ground on a $25-million athletics facility that will feature an eight-lane competition pool, a four-lane warm-up pool, and a state-of-the-art hydrotherapy spa to soothe sore muscles.”In recent years, several of Gettysburg’s athletics competitors have built similarly impressive new facilities. Last year McDaniel College, in Westminster, Md., opened a $4-million fitness center, with roughly 9,000 square feet for exercise equipment and weights, as well as spaces for dance and aerobics classes.”Haverford College, in Haverford, Pa., opened a $28-million athletics building in 2005, with three competition-level basketball courts and a fitness room with nearly 100 aerobic and strength-training machines. “And in 2001, Ursinus College, in Collegeville, Pa., opened a $13-million field house big enough for two full-size batting cages, four basketball courts, three tennis courts, a volleyball court, and a six-lane, 200-meter track.

“Welcome to the Centennial Conference: 11 small, private liberal-arts colleges in the mid-Atlantic region that belong to the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s Division III …”

So when doing your research or taking unofficial visits, take the time to look at the facilities and ask about recent or upcoming renovations to see exactly how important your sport is at the college.

Make your own bed. You’re going to be the one sleeping in it.

Rumors are bouncing around the web that this is some sort of recruiting ritual at USC  (BTW: I hope I look as good as Pete Carroll when I’m his age).  I talk about the importance of visits often.  After watching this video I’m sure you can see why its important to learn about a program’s culture.

 I was recently reading a few posts from blogs that I frequent and the topic that athletic scholarships are not guaranteed for four years but rather a renewable contract that is signed each year at the discretion of the head coach came up a number of times.  I suppose this information is new to many parents and student athletes, so I encourage you to read more about the specifics, but I would rather focus on a different aspect of this topic.

There are certain reasons for a college coach to not renew an athletic scholarship that most reasonable people would find understandable.  Failing to meet academic requirements, legal issues away from the field, and poor work ethic on the field all seem like logical reasons for a coach to decide against renewing a scholarship.  The most controversial and least publicized reason for a college coaching neglecting to renew the scholarship is the student athlete simply not being good enough to play for that program.  The reason this issue is controversial is because coaches do not take advantage of it enough!

The reality is that college coaches are fearful of negative publicity when they decide not to renew a scholarship which will frighten potential recruits in the future.  Rather than experience this backlash, the coach will often times become brutally honest (or manipulative in my opinion) with the athlete and let him or her know that the chances of them playing anytime in the near future are very slim in the hopes that this will discourage the athlete from staying with the program and maintaining their athletic scholarship.  To me this seems cowardly. 

***Warning…What I am about to write might upset many people***

I believe college athletics would be better served if the college coaches would simply tell the student athlete they are not good enough to play at their program and they have decided not to renew their scholarship.  While this might upset the student athlete, at least they will have an opportunity to pursue a school where they will have a realistic chance to play.  I realize the downside to what I am proposing, but I ask the naysayers this; is it that much worse than what is currently being done?  Wouldn’t we all prefer the coaches actually be honest with a student athlete rather than give some distorted version of the truth in the hopes that the student athlete will do them a favor and leave the program on their own accord, thus saving their reputation for future recruits?