By Matt Luckett
There are many talented field hockey players and last time I checked the field there was only one goalie, one right mid and one left wing. If you want to be on the field come game time you must work harder and perform better than the girl running sprints beside you.
You may compete with one or two other girls for your position, but have you ever contended with thousands of other players? Welcome to college recruiting! This is exactly what you’re up against.
According to the NCAA Sports and Sponsorship Report there are 63,881 high school field hockey players. That means approximately 16,000 student-athletes in your class may share your collegiate field hockey aspirations. It would be nice if everyone could find a roster spot, but in reality there are only 259 collegiate field hockey programs at the NCAA level. With 259 head coaches all recruiting about five new athletes per year, there are less than 1,300 total roster openings each season. If you do the math it is clear that only eight percent of high school field hockey players go on to compete at the collegiate level.
The point of this mini math lesson is not to discourage you, but rather to encourage you. In order to play collegiate field hockey you must open your mind to new and unfamiliar opportunities. If you narrow your search, you may get passed by. Serious field hockey prospects should research all options and introduce themselves to as many college coaches as possible. By doing your homework and taking initiative you will give yourself a head start on the competition.
source: www.ncaa.org
