Want To Be a College Student-Athlete?

Articles to help you consider whether or not you want to commit to being a college student-athlete?

How to Decide IF Playing College Sports Is Right for You; https://www.sportsengine.com/article/how-decide-if-playing-college-sports-right-you
7 Things You Should Know If You Want To Be A College Athlete; https://www.hercampus.com/life/7-things-you-should-know-if-you-want-be-college-athlete/

II) Must Do Tasks In HS If You Want to Play College Sports or Get an Athletic Scholarship – apply with NAIA & NCAA

III) How Can I Get Recruited or Get A Sports Athletic Scholarship If I AM NOT Getting Any College Attention? Here is a process that has helped PHS students -

1) Gr. 10-11; Talk with high school coach for realistic understanding of what level(s) of competition they may be able to successfully pursue, non-school coaches as well. Speak with private coaches of yours as well. Often coaches have contacts at college level they can use to help you.
Look at the performances typical for different sports at the various levels of college competition (NCSA Athletic Recruiting Sports Specific Recruiting Guide), consider with your HS coach what it would take to accomplish those performances
2) Remember the best people to know about your abilities are coaches from our conference and the game/match officials. These are people generally you want to speak well of you when a college recruiter asks them about potential recruits.
3) Help the college coach evaluate you for their program -
Contact college coach & ask if you can visit their campus to perform & be evaluated by their coaching staff
Attend their sports camp for HS ages
Ask that coach if they are going to attend other camps, then sign up for those camps
If your sport has a private summer league, join it, know the competition schedule, then share that schedule with college coach
Use school HUDL program account to create highlights, or use your own videos (YouTube) to have website where college coach can visit to see you performing
Often college coaches want to see entire game tapes, so your HS coach must give them that access (part of why you want your HS coach & potential college coach to be in communication)

4) As you get mail, texts, and communication from college coaches, follow through when they ask you register to come to their camp, attend a skill assessment clinic, or visit their college.
5) “No books, no looks” is a phrase that is meant to encourage students to do great in school be more valuable to college.
Colleges often give coaches ACT & GPA guidelines in addition to those set by their athletic membership (NCAA or NAIA).
Apply for admission to colleges after your Grade 11 transcript is complete, to give coaches chance to see your academics, along with NCAA &/or NAIA eligibility checkers….
6) Be a good recruit. Often college coaches are rewarded for having good team gpa's, team members who stay out of trouble, give back to their communities through volunteer work, and have good sports performances - show during high school you can do these things

IV) Levels of College Sports Programs & HS Handouts

Division 1 & 2 (4 Year Degrees) – NCAA Eligibility Guide required, create an online account AND complete online registration at https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/
- increased GPA to 2.300
- must complete 10 of 16 required core courses by end of Grade 11
- re-taking core courses not allowed for one of 16 required courses during Grade 12
- increased overall core GPA are paired to ACT/SAT on sliding scale
NCAA Worksheets (page 1) & II (page 2) printable handout to assist HS course progression and monitoring to meet NCAA initial-eligibility standards: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/DI_and_DII_Worksheet.pdf
- Division I academic requirements with HS Core GPA/ACT Full Qualifier Sling Scale (printable handout): http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Student_Resources/DI_ReqsFactSheet.pdf
  - Division II academic requirements with HS Core GPA/ACT Full Qualifier Sliding Scale (printable handout): http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/eligibility_center/Student_Resources/DII_ReqsFactSheet.pdf
Division 3 (4 Year Degrees) – Division III does not use the NCAA Eligibility Center.
- Contact your Division 3 college regarding its policies on admission, financial aid, practice and competition (typically same as admission acceptance for HS students)
NAIA (4 Year Degrees) - Eligibility Registration is required, complete registration online at http://www.playnaia.org/page/eligibility.php
- NAIA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete (7 page printable): https://play.mynaia.org/media/1091/naia_guide_college_bound_student.pdf
Iowa Community (Junior) College Athletic Conference (ICCAC offer 2 Year Degrees, Diplomas, & Certificates)
- ICCAC.org lists each college's sports for men and women - click on each mascot
- Your community college will assist you with any necessary regulations: NJCAA Compliance Handbook, Letters of Intent, & Procedures

V) Can all colleges give athletics scholarships?

NCAA I & II, NAIA, & NJCAA (community college) programs do offer athletic scholarships while the NCAA III programs cannot offer athletic scholarships (but D 3's often find their recruits and athletes monies labeled as non-athlete scholarships).

VI) Iowa’s College Athletic Memberships

NCAA Division 1

Iowa State University of Science & Technology, Ames – www.cyclones.com
University of Iowa, Iowa City – www.hawkeyesports.com
University of Northern Iowa, Cedar Falls – www.unipanthers.com
Drake University, Des Moines (though football is in a nonathletic scholarship competitive conference) - http://www.godrakebulldogs.com/

NCAA Division 2