[Note on terminology: In the U.S., the words college and university are frequently used interchangeably when discussing subjects relating to bachelor degree programs. Colleges and universities may also be referred to as schools.]
After reading Getting Paid to Play: Athletic Recruiting in the U.S. (Part I), you realize that recruiting rules are somewhat different in each of the three NCAA divisions. Time spent up front understanding how the recruiting game is played is time well spent. Violations of rules can make you ineligible to be recruited or can reduce the number of years you can play at the collegiate level. If you are not a U.S. resident, even if you are a U.S. citizen, everything becomes a bit more complex, but students successfully navigate the process from overseas each year.
Rule 1: Start Early
Year 8 or 9 is not too soon to start preparing for the process because all of it takes time. The earlier you start, the more choices you’ll likely have and the easier it will be to meet the eligibility requirements. Coaches at D1 and D2 schools frequently ask for a commitment from players during the year before the final year of secondary school (e.g., year 11 in Switzerland). This does not mean that all players start the process this early, so don’t be discouraged if you have not. What is too late?
Rule 2: Be Realistic About Your Chances of Getting a Sports Scholarship
This chart from the New York Times, though somewhat dated, shows the number of students playing a sport in the U.S. vs. the number of students who receive an athletic scholarship (third column). Notice that more than 1 in 10 of the girls who play ice hockey in high school receives an athletic scholarship, and the scholarships average 80% of a full scholarship. Many more women receive scholarships to play soccer, but that number is only about 1.5% of girls playing in high school and the awards are also smaller.
I had no idea there was so much money available for ice hockey players! Be sure that your sport is one that gets funding. Note, for example, that there are no scholarships offered for men’s rowing though there are for women’s. This is because so much money goes into American football and federal law requires an equal amount of money be spent on both genders. Also pay attention to variations in the average amount of money each athlete receives as an athletic scholarship .
Rule 3: Each NCAA Divisions Has Different Rules
This article, written by a college recruiter, gives a basic overview of these differences and gives you an idea of which division might be best for you. However, many student athletes don’t limit themselves to considering colleges in a single division but start with D1 and D2 in hopes of getting an athletic scholarship. If they don’t find enough interest in their talents with those coaches, they then try D3.
Although D3 colleges and universities do not give sports scholarships, many have other forms of financial aid that they use to entice athletes they want.
Rule 4: Don’t Neglect Your Studies
You will not be recruited on your athletic skills alone and your academic strengths have a bigger impact on your options than you might think. The NCAA – and each division has slightly different academic requirements – wants to make sure you are adequately prepared for college-level academics. You must:
- Complete a secondary school education that prepares you for a university or a university of applied science in your home country.
- Take a specified minimum number of secondary school courses in specific subjects, including English, mathematics, natural and physical sciences, social sciences, and foreign language.
- Achieve a minimum average of grades, or marks, in those courses over the four years prior to your completion of secondary school.
- Achieve minimum marks in standardized exams required for U. S. college admissions, such as the SAT or ACT, and the TOEFL. These tests can be taken in test centers located around the world.
Review the resources for international students on the NCAA Eligibility website and specifically check what the International Academic Standards for Athletics Eligibility says about eligible diplomas and courses from your country.
Rule 5: Maintain Your Amateur Status
To keep competition between teams fair, the NCAA also wants to ensure that student athlete’s have not previously been professional athletes, so you will need to go through a process to certify your amateur status. The most common stumbling block for international students involves compensation from club teams, which cannot exceed the actual costs you incur for playing on the team.
College-bound student-athletes may participate in amateur sports clubs as long as they do not receive expenses in excess of travel, lodging or equipment for practice or competition. A prospect may accept prize money based on performance in an open competition as long as the prize is awarded by the sponsor of the event and the amount of the prize does not exceed the student-athlete’s expenses to compete in the event. College or university representatives may not help with fundraising efforts for a student-athlete’s amateur club team.
Rule 6: It Will Be a Lot of Work
The student does most of the effort here, especially communicating with coaches, which we’ll discuss in the next article in this series. Much of the communication cannot be delegated to parents or a coach or anyone else.
Rule 7: Play with a Healthy Dose of Skepticism
Not all coaches are honorable people, though some definitely are. Some will tell you anything and then suddenly stop returning phone calls and emails when they are no longer interested in you.
Rule 8: Have a Thick Skin
You will likely have a good share of ups and downs in this process and it’s important to not take things too personally. Prepare for some disappointments along the way.
Now that you understand the rules of this game, you are ready to play. The next steps, which we’ll discuss in more detail in Part III of this series of articles, include identifying specific colleges and universities of interest, and getting the attention of those coaches.