Wed, July 24, 2024 11:30 AM

Students often do not realize the incredible amount of stress that playing their sport at the college level can put on their academics. When considering whether your student should/shouldn’t pursue their sport in college, I encourage your family to have an open discussion. Decide if it is the right fit for your student based on their ability to balance the rigor of their sports schedule while keeping up with their academic course load.

Help them determine if they want to be a D1, D2, D3, or NAIA athlete. Many students think they want to play at the D1 level, but they forget this is comparable to having a full-time job on top of going to college. Students need to understand that some degree programs don’t match up well when it comes to playing a sport. This is most often due to the amount of studying or mandatory co-ops required in their chosen major. To see what I mean, take a look at the rosters of the sports team your student is considering and see if they list the majors these players are pursuing. Be sure to take a look at your student’s dedication to their sport compared to the academic career path they want to pursue. They may want to consider going to a D2, D3 or NAIA school instead so that they can continue their sports involvement without compromising their academics.

Here are a few questions you should ask to gauge your student’s interest in pursuing a sport in college: Is the college they want to attend big into their particular sport? How competitive is it to get on the team? Is your student actively being contacted by college recruiters? Does your student believe they will be able to balance their sport and school work? Do they feel they have the drive and determination it will take to make it work when things get tough?

Another factor to consider is the life your student will experience as an athlete at their future college. Having your son or daughter do an official visit will allow them to see where they will be living, practicing, and competing, give them a chance to connect with the other players, and determine if they gel with the head coach and coaching staff. Both you and your student need to proactively do your research about the recruiting process and figure out how to get them on the coach’s radar screen. Building a relationship with the coach can pay big dividends if they remember your students’ name and stats during their team building process. Be realistic when it comes to understanding your students’ chances of playing at the next level. It’s always better to have these tough conversations up front than to have your student-athlete become a pawn in the recruiting game and be sure they have a backup plan if things don’t go as planned.

Have you figured out how your family is going to navigate the college admissions process or need help figuring out how to get your student recruited to play at the next level? Schedule a FREE Discovery Zoom Meeting with me to see how I can help resolve any stresses the college process is putting on you and your student.

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