So You Want to Play Sports in College; Here's how.

If you've always dreamed about competing in college athletics, your dream may be within reach. But, you need more than athletic talent...you need to know how to "connect" with appropriate colleges.

First, do a reality check. If you are good enough to play basketball in the Big East or football in the SEC, coaches from those leagues and others would be taking so much of your time that you wouldn't have the 5 minutes you need to read this. Ask your coach and other knowledgeable people (not family or friends) which colleges might be interested in your athletic talents. Do some research of your own. Then make a list of possibilities and take it to your counselor to see which colleges might be a good fit for you. And, ask if he or she can add to the list.

Make sure you see and consider the whole picture, not just the colleges' athletic programs. Are the academic programs solid? Does the campus environment seem friendly? Do you like the location? And, the big question; Is it a college you might choose even if you were not an athlete?

Ruling out colleges because you have not heard of them can be a big mistake. Do you know about Georgia Southern's football program? Do you know that the University of Louisiana at Lafayette has a perennial top ten softball program and has been to the College World Series in baseball? These are just two examples of schools you may know nothing about that have great programs.

Don't forget that athletic scholarships are not the only way for you to get financial help...there are many other forms of aid. And, remember that there are some terrific NCAA Division II and Division III teams, as well as some fine NAIA and junior college programs you may wish to look at.

Don't forget, even for a minute, that achieving your athletic goals is not nearly as important as leaving college with a good education and a degree. And, leaving college with a degree will not mean you have gotten a good education if you have selected courses only to remain eligible for athletics. Sadly, there are coaches (including some well known names) who appear to be more interested in wins and losses than the welfare of the student-athletes on their teams. Be on the alert for them.

Be sure you learn the rules governing athletic recruiting. And, be certain you and the college coaches with whom you come into contact adhere to them strictly. Go to your high school coach if you have questions or concerns.

Coaches aren't the only people who can help you learn about colleges. Communicate with admissions counselors too. They will often provide you with far more information than you can get from coaches.

Don't make the mistake of ruling out colleges in your initial research because of their listed costs. Frequently, students out-of-pocket costs are far lower.

Don't panic if coaches don't immediately reply to an initial letter or email from you. Wait a month, and try again. Remember that some coaches get a lot of mail, and that they are especially busy just before and in season. Some coaches may never get back to you...at least you'll know where you stand with them, right?

Even if a coach does respond to you, it does not mean his/her level of interest in you is high. Some coaches (or their secretaries) put everybody who contacts them on a list to receive communication in the interest of being polite or because they feel they have nothing to lose. Many coaches even have a list of student-athletes that are second third, and lower choices; students to be recruited only until those higher on their lists sign a letter of intent. With that in mind, your best bet is to keep all options open by communicating with every coach who may be interested in you until you have a firm, final offer.

When you do accept a final offer, send a "thank you" note to all the coaches who showed interest in you...it's just good manners. And, you never know; you might want to transfer from the first college in which you enroll.

Article Source: http://mylilpeanut.com

Daniel Z. Kane, now a university dean, has also coached in two sports. You can find lots of helpful information on his websites about how to get an athletic scholarship , and online colleges .
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