When I first began to coach at a youth and scholastic level, I always felt that my responsibilities did not only include coaching students to proper way to play the sport of soccer, but to also help Student Athletes achieve their dream of playing at a collegiate level, if they felt that they had the talent and desire to do so.

For the past 22 years, I have sat down with parents and players and try to inform them as to what their responsibilities should be. While I would love to see all of my players play at a college level, the truth is that the number of students that went on to play from High School to College are disappointing. While there are no official numbers for soccer players, of the 330,000 high school seniors who played football, only 20,000 college freshmen continue to play in college, and less than 10,000 received any financial assistance. Less than 100 students will sign a professional sports contract, and the average sports career lasts only five years. High school basketball involves 158,000 students; less than 5,000 will play in college and less than 200 will play in professional games, and their average career is only three to four years. It is why I insist on telling my players is the first reason to choose a school is to get an education, not to play soccer.

The good news is that there are many choices for an athlete to do both.If the Student Athlete is fortunate to not only be academically qualified but also athletically as well, then opportunities exist to secure a college scholarship. The one thing that everyone must remember is that although very few high school athletes will earn a full college scholarship, there are ways to seek various financial benefits. If you have enjoyed being on an athletic team and hope to continue playing in college as a "walk-on" you may wish to consider the Division IA, II or III colleges where you would have a greater chance of continuing to enjoy the game, but where academics will be the deciding factor in your admission.

There are a number of factors need to be taken into account when selecting a college such as:
» Local vs away-from-home
» Commuting vs residential campus
» Large vs small school
» Area of academic interest
» And, of course, the cost of education.

College coaches are constantly on the lookout for new prospects. As parents and players might have seen as the Predators played in several College Showcases over the past few years, you will find coaches at tournaments viewing any number of players. As a prospective college player, it is of utmost importance that you do a thorough investigation of potential colleges and that you be identified as early as possible. Although they are not allowed to speak to players directly, many coaches begin identifying potential prospects in a player's junior year of high school.

In order to help those that feel that they do have a chance to play at the "next level," EASA has provided some information, and important tools to help the Student Athlete make not only the right choice, but to also direct them as to what is needed to be done. There is a lot of work to be done, and not that much time, once a Student Athlete reaches his or her Junior year.

One of the biggest mistakes that Student Athletes do is to wait until the end of their Senior year to register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. Any Student Athlete that wishes to compete at a NCAA Division one or two level must be cleared with the NCAA Clearinghouse. The easiest way to register is directly through the NCAA website, where they have a link to register, however, the school counselor should also help the student with this registration. One of the best web sites to get a complete overview about eligibility requirements is CollegeSportsScholarships.com

After you have talked to your coach and counselor and have identified appropriate schools, it is extremely important that you immediately contact the coaches of these colleges and share your interest in attending the school of choice, and competing with the soccer program of the school. (EASA will provide sample copies of actual correspondence with college coaches to our players. The information provides the description of the basic packet of materials you will want to send to colleges.).

These are some very important tips that EASA suggests that players and parents review. Some of the information you are about to read might make all the difference in the world as to where your son or daughter will be spending the next four to six years in his or her life.

Location, size, and type of school

The most important reason that your son or daughter will be attending school is to get a great education, and there will be many choices for them to do so. Some of the reasons of choosing a school might be location; if you have always lived in the suburbs, choosing an urban campus might be a difficult adjustment. Some campuses enroll no more than 3000 students, others enroll over 30000. The size of the school might determine where your child might want to go. If a student prefers warm weather, cold weather, change of seasons, all become important as part of the decision making.

Another point is distance, and how far does your child want to go away from home. You will be amazed how many students cant wait to get away from home!! and within a month are going crazy to come back. Visits to the campus become of great importance. All colleges are not the same. Some have large graduate programs and devote much of their time and resources to research while others are small Liberal Arts schools with various programs of study offered. Some schools have a specialty in one specific area, while other schools might be best known for giving their students a broad education. Other factors include whether a school is single sex or coed, if they have a religious affiliation, and whether they are public or private.

There are schools with co-op programs where you earn money while going to school, and schools with large evening and part-time programs. The options are almost limitless.

Tuition, Scholarships & Financial Aid

When parents and coaches keep telling their kids, "Study and get good grades it will help you get into a better school," they were actually right. The cost of a college education is approximately $125,000 and in the next 15 years the cost is expected to exceed $200,000. While this seems expensive and almost out of reach to some families, cost should not be the only reason you and your family pass on a certain college or university. While cost is a top consideration that most parents think about when the topic of paying for college comes up, remember not all colleges cost the same. Also there are different types of financial aid programs at different schools and with so many scholarships available, paying for college can be easier than you might think. Your grades are worth money, your community service is worth money, your athletic ability may be worth money. In addition, where your parents work just might have scholarship dollars to give. Half the battle is asking and applying.

For example, if you apply to one of the New York State Universities, because it is a Public University the tuition is lower for in-state residents. The same is true for all public college and university programs where you live. Fees for out-of-state residents are usually pretty similar to private schools so consider all the factors when choosing a college or university. For a Private institution it does not matter if you live two blocks away or 2,000 miles away the price is still the same and because it is private, it is very selective in the admissions process. While both offer scholarships both academically and athletically narrowing your choices to the school that will give you the best advantage after graduation is important. Of the private schools, the only ones that don't offer scholarships athletically are the Ivy League schools, they are need based and if you show need, they will show you money. Again, with so many privately-funded scholarships available that go unclaimed each year you can help cover part of the cost of your education if you are serious. Do some research to identify scholarships and then apply.

Admissions

If you know what field you want to go into after college, it's important to make sure you go to college somewhere that will prepare you for your chosen profession. If you are unsure, consider Liberal Arts — either way you will need to declare your major by the end of your second year. If you want to be a doctor, you will want to pursue programs with a strong pre-med offering. Like many students entering their freshman year of college, you might not know what you want to do, so having options is important.

Some schools require students to take classes in a wide variety of subjects during their Freshman and Sophomore years. These schools are great for students who either want a well-rounded education or are trying to figure out what area to focus on. Other schools let students just dive in to their chosen majors without a lot of other requirements. These schools are great for focused students who know what they want to do and don't want to spend their time in classes that won't help them in their major.

The College Visit

Personally, I feel that this is the most important part of the decision making as to which school a student will be attending. Your first stop on a campus visit is the visitor center or admissions office, where you will meet with a counselor or academic advisor. Take advantage of your visit and become familiar with the college by arriving about an hour before your appointment to tour and walk around the campus and talk to staff members and to browse through student newspapers that are available. This will give you a glimpse into college life and what it might be like for you. Most of the time, if it is one of the 5 official visits arranged with the College Soccer Coach, he will meet with you and help you with the tour of the school.

Most organized campus visits include such campus facilities as dormitories, dining halls, libraries, student activity and recreation centers, and the health and student services centers. Some may only be pointed out, while you will walk through others. Bulletin boards in dormitories and student centers contain a wealth of information about campus activities, student concerns, and campus groups. Read the posters, notices, and messages to learn what really interests students. Unlike ads in the school newspaper, posters put up by students advertise both on- and off-campus events, so they will give you an idea of what is also available in the surrounding community. In addition, these types of communications can also enhance your knowledge of the true character of the campus and its students.

As you walk through various buildings, examine their condition carefully. Here are some things to look for:
» Are the buildings safe?
» Are the exteriors and interiors of the building clean?
» Is the equipment in the classrooms up-to-date or outdated?
» Pay particular attention to the dorms and campus, especially safety. Ask about security measures.
» Are the dorms noisy or quiet?
» Are the dorms crowded?
» How good is the lighting?
» Where are the dorms located?
» Do all athletes stay in one area or are they part of the general camps living?
» Are the dorms in one main area?
» Who has access to the dormitories in addition to students?
» What security measures are available for students entering and leaving the dorms?
» Can students request escorts to their residences late at night?
» Do campus shuttle buses run at frequent intervals all night?
» Are "blue-light" telephones liberally placed throughout the campus for students to use to call for help?
» Do the campus police patrol the campus regularly?

On the next EASA newsletter, we wil begin to provide some information as to what the High School coach can do to help a student play at a higher level, as well as provide sample letters to be sent to the College Coach introducing yourself and your interest as to attending and playing for your school of choice.

 

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