Athletic College Scholarships

[mustcoach]

As a college head coach of womens soccer and club players GU17 and GU15 that one day MAY want to play college soccer at any level, NCAA D1, 2, 3, NAIA, JUCO and NCCAA, I feel it is my responsibility to keep them up to date on the changing future of college athletics. If you are a junior, then pay very close attention to this. It is coming very fast for your family.

 

As everyone knows the economic times are looking bad. Some optimistic reports have us in a recession that in the near future will level out. Pessimists say the worst is ahead and see it lasting five to eight years. Unfortunately the pessimists have been far more accurate than the optimists.

 

With that said it is all effecting colleges and again at every level. Below is a link to an article from The Guardian written on December 8, 2008. It?????™s about what Harvard is facing in making MAJOR cuts. Oh and by the way?????¦Harvard has the LARGEST ENDOWMENT FUND OF ANY AMERICAN UNIVERSITY AT 36.9 BILLION DOLLARS!!!

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/dec/0...ances-economics

 

So where am I going with this? You ask?????¦How is this something for me, especially parents of a high school freshman? Here is why:

 

It puts an even greater emphasis on your childs academic performance.

The first cuts being made at schools whose sports are NOT revenue producing is the athletic scholarship money and operating budgets. What does this mean? The only money and how much they get, is going to be based on your childs GPA, SAT and/or ACT scores. The only other money available is state, federal, student loans, outside scholarships.

 

It effects the number of and type of player coaches/schools are forced to recruit?

Unfortunately it brings to bear economic differences in households and the parents income. Coaches now start to look for this situation:

Families with HIGH income that can write the large check to make up the difference that athletic scholarships once filled.

Families of low income that will qualify for NEED based money from the state, federal gov?????™t and even some schools will have need based money that will make up the difference that athletic scholarships once filled.

Players with EXCELLENT ACADEMICS.

Players that are IN STATE so they get the states lottery money for education.

It makes the player from MIDDLE CLASS families the least attractive no matter the skill level. Those players will struggle to get in school because the family makes to little to write the large check or to much to get any need based money from state and gov?????™t.

Roster sizes of 22+ are now going to be at 15-18. Maybe even less at smaller schools. I spoke to three coaches, one at Div. 1 and two at Div. 3, today and each one said they are expecting their numbers to go down. Not just because of the TYPE they have to look for, but because of the limited amount of money schools have in their endowments which fund 90% of academic scholarships.

 

It effects what schools you need to start looking at and applying to them very EARLY!!

With many people having to take pay cuts, income is now going down and tuition costs are still rising at MOST schools?????¦this forces families to readjust what school they can afford. Now it?????™s not about where I WANT TO GO. It?????™s about WHERE CAN I AFFORD TO GO and still get a good education.

It also causes families to make that decision earlier so they apply and get accepted early. Now with all academic money being first come/first serve the earlier you get applications in and financial packages worked out, the better you can make a good educated decision on the best fit. Remember schools academic money is mainly coming from endowments or personal scholarships given by alumni. That money is LIMITED and the early bird catches the worm fits perfectly here. Once it is gone, it is gone.

Also remember this...Coaches are going to start making offers earlier and expecting verbal commitments sooner. It?????™s now about WHO CAN I GET SIGNED, NOT WHO DO I WANT TO SIGN!

 

Just some info for parents/players to file away.