Scholarships
IF you have a son or daughter participating in youth sports, they may have a goal of playing their sport in college. There are many opportunities for athletic scholarships for both male and female athletes. Keep checking this site and this page as we add various links and information to help your student athlete along the road to a college scholarship. Some companies provide full service assistance in helping your student athlete get recruited. Others provide a do-it-yourself program that walks you through the steps. Take the time to discuss the option available with your family and your child.
Here are some tips to keep in mind as you discuss which options are best for your son or daughter:
- GRADES ARE IMPORTANT! If your GPA is under 3.0 you will find it very difficult if not impossible to get an athletic scholarship.
- Be proactive! Make a list of the colleges that you are interested in attending and then write a letter to the coach indicating your desire to play for them.
- Playing for a travel or club team does not guarantee you a scholarship. Not playing travel or club does not eliminate you from a scholarship. However, playing travel or club will help you improve your skills and increase your chances of getting seen by college coaches.
- Attitude and behaviour are important. It's not just the superstars that get scholarships. Coaches want a good person, not just a good player.
- Scholarship search firms may increase your chances of receiving a scholarship. Each firm is different. Make sure you ask a lot of questions and consider their track record along with their fees. Paying more doesn't automatically get you a scholarship. Paying less won't necessarily keep you from getting one. It's still about the player and getting seen.
- If you are planning on playing for an NCAA school, you must register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. Make sure you familiarize yourself with NCAA recruiting regulations and policies.
- Many Junior Colleges (JC's) outside of the state of California offer athletic scholarships.
- NCAA Division III and the NCAA Division I Ivy League schools do not offer athletic scholarships. But if you have the grades you may be able to receive academic financial aid. Many of these schools have very strong athletic programs.
- Ask yourself, if you were a college coach would you want you to play for you? What can you do to make yourself more valuable to a coach?
Check out this article on the AL.com web site about Alabama football coach Nick Saban and what he says about recruiting high school athletes.
Below are links to each of the various administrative organizations. I've also listed a number of the scholarship recruiting firms. Coach Mike and Kidz "n" Sports© does not endorse any specific firm. Check each one out before making a commitment.
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA)
National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA)
Canadian Colleges Athletic Association (CCAA)
Informational
College Scholarships.org
College Coaches Online
Softball Showcase
College Athletic Scholarship Recruiting Firms
Athletic Scholarship Corporation
Athletic Scholarships.Net
Be Recruited
College Coaches Network
Get My Name Out
Recruit-Me Athletic Scholarship System
Student Athlete Showcase
2 Minute Recruit
Varsity Edge