BY KYLEIGH SPRIGLE
Many high school athletes aspire to play at the collegiate level and sometimes it may seem unattainable. As athletes get older they may lose hope. Getting committed can seem impossible, but fear not– these five tips might help you through the process.
1. Know what you want
You have to make some decisions and ask yourself a couple of questions before even trying to get committed. First, make sure you know whether or not you want to play a sport in college. Keep in mind that it is a huge commitment that will affect your entire college experience.
Know what division you want to play in. Colleges can either be in Division I, II, III or part of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). These all offer different opportunities and different scholarships. However, Division III schools cannot give athletic scholarships.
There is also the option of playing at a junior college and then transferring to a four-year university. This way gives you experience on the field or court and helps you save money. Deciding which way you’d like to go about your collegiate athletic experience is the first key step to getting committed.
2. Have realistic standards
If your skill level does not match the caliber of playing at a Division I school, you should not try to go there. Division I schools are the best of the best and only take the best players. It is extremely competitive and may not be worth the effort.
Grades matter as well. If you are not at the academic level of an Ivy League student, do not push yourself to commit to a school that will be too challenging academically.
Keep realistic standards, as this mentality can help you get committed to the school best fit for you.
3. Start early
In most high school sports, college coaches cannot talk to the players until their junior year. However, coaches can watch you and the more exposure they get of you, the better your chances are of getting committed. Before your junior year, you should make skill videos, go to sports camps, write emails to schools or coaches and do a lot of research.
Picking which travel sports team you join or even which high school you go to can affect how you get committed. Playing in an older age group or on a more competitive travel team could be extremely beneficial. Whatever gets you the most exposure is the best for you. It’s important to make these crucial decisions early in your pre-professional sports career.
4. Look for colleges that best fit all your interests
If you go to a college, do not go only for sports. There is a low chance of making it to the big leagues, so it’s safer and more advisable to attend primarily for the purpose of getting a degree. The focus should be on school first and sports after. Only commit to a college if they offer the major or academics you’re interested in. If you are undecided on your major, it would be best to go to a school that has many attractive options.
Location is also important. In-state tuition is cheaper, which will help if you do not get a full ride once you commit to a school. Additionally, being Floridians has not trained us for the freezing climate up in the north of the United States. You have to decide if you can handle the weather and if you can be far from home. Make your commitment decisions holistically.
5. Never give up
No matter what has happened you should never give up hope. There is a school out there for everyone. Schools add new sports every year, meaning they need new players. Also, as unfortunate as it sounds, there are college athletes who quit or get injured and later need to be replaced on the team. That is where you may come in.
If you take a break or get injured, you can still come back from it. People can tear their anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), take a year to heal and then get committed afterwards. People can also get committed during their senior season. People can walk onto college teams and get scholarships later in the year. There are so many colleges and so many options, so never lose hope of ultimately getting committed.
Photo by Makinzi Burgs
