College Athletics 101
If you're thinking about playing college sports, there are some key things to know before you take a deeper dive into athletics. Although this post will focus on the NCAA, there are two other national athletic associations, NAIA and NJCAA, you should become familiar with by viewing this video.
Having a basic foundational knowledge is important for setting realistic expectations and avoiding misunderstandings. Of the roughly 7.2 million high school athletes, only 7% will move on to play for an NCAA team. The NCAA separates colleges into three divisions:
Division I - these are typically schools with large student enrollments and athletics budgets, and they offer the most athletic scholarships, with 57% of student athletes receiving some athletics aid. Competition for a spot on a Division I team is the hardest, and your schedule will prioritize athletics.
Division II - these schools are smaller than Division I, and offer some some level of athletics aid to 63% of student athletes.
Division III - these schools tend to focus on academics combined with competitive athletics, and while there are no athletic scholarships offered, roughly 80% of student athletes receive merit or need based scholarships. This means that if a student leaves a D III team, their merit and need based scholarships will remain with them.
If you're interested in Division I or II, you must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center, and it's recommended you do this by the start of sophomore year of high school to ensure you're taking all the right courses. You should register even if you're undecided or considering Division III so that you receive an NCAA ID, can create a free profile page, and receive communications and reminders from the NCAA.
Timing
Recruiting timelines vary by sport and division, and there are rules regarding when a coach can contact students and their families directly, including recruiting materials, on and off campus visits, emails, texts, social media messages, letters and phone calls. For example, in Division I, coaches can begin calling you from January 1st of sophomore year to May 31st of your junior year, depending upon the sport, with further limitations on the number of contacts. In addition, there are limitations on when you can call coaches, and the limitations vary by sport. This is why it is so important to look deeper into NCAA sports eligbility and recruiting. For a wealth of information and resources, here's the NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student Athlete.
Student Responsibilities
Students must be proactive in the recruiting process by reaching out and building relationships with coaches at colleges where they're interested in playing sports. Talk to your current high school coaches and seek their advice and assessments on your level of play. Find ways to develop as an athlete and get in front of coaches through camps, tournaments, and showcases. Start creating an athletic resume, including sport specific stats, personal stats, and even a highlight video.
Finally, you should keep in mind that the most important part of picking a college is finding a good fit for you in terms of academic interests and goals, social opportunities, budget, and courses of study available in your future major. Even the best laid plans can go awry: coaches may leave and cause big changes in programs, athletes can be injured, and some sports may cease to be offered at a college when budgets no longer support them.
Sources and Resources for More Information: