Can I start a thread for recruited athletes for 2026.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Our child was one of seven freshman recruits. By graduation all that remained was our child and one other recruit.

I guess that I would not be real surprised if it happens some places. After all, going to Cal Baptist or Abilene Christian to paly a sport is kinda meaningless.

It was a D1 Virginia school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s some advice for the uninitiated, as a parent of a former D1 4-year athlete.

Coaches don’t care about your child. They don’t care if your child gets injured. They don’t care about academics. They own your child and demonstrate that 12 months a year.

Most of the freshman athletes you join the team with will be gone by graduation. The transfer portal makes it easy for decent athletes to leave. Coaches will also tell less talented athletes to leave. Some will just quit. Others will get career ending injuries.

Just because your child got a scholarship doesn’t make them safe. Coaches will torment them. They might make them quit. They’d certainly bench them. The coaches take their responsibility to replace players with better players very seriously.

Your child will get injured, a lot. It will be a constant theme. Pre-season and the actual season takes its toll. Every year they remain on the team, the more damage they’ll do to their bodies. Concussions, knee, ankle, shoulder and elbow injuries happen. There is always a push to get players back to practice faster than necessary. Athletic training rooms are like M.A.S.H. units. Make sure the AT facilities and personnel are excellent or your children will suffer.

Athletic teams haze. You’ll don’t hear about it, but they do.

You’ll see your children less than the parents of NARPs. Athletics gets in the way of holidays, milestones and vacations. When you visit your children on campus you’ll be lucky to get a few hours with them for dinner depending on the sport, team culture and academic rigor.

D1 athletics are a mental and physical grind. Generally the benefits outweigh the costs, but that’s far from guaranteed.

Don’t exaggerate any athletic success in a college sport. Universities all post readily available statistics. People can see if your child isn’t contributing.

Athletics are a full time job. Make sure both you, and your child are ready for it.

Chiming in as a parent of a D1 athlete - Mid-Major though and not P4, so not a lot of scholarship $$. Great experience. Instant friends on campus. Coach cares about team GPA and crafting athletes into good people. Only miss 2 days of classes per semester. Coach texts DC during summer breaks to say hi and see how they are doing. Kids get injured, yes, but they still come to cheer on the team and remain active in team activities. Invaluable experience.

"invaluable experience"

LOL No.

Mother of more than one D1 player Lax and Soccer.

Explain yourself.

[Anonymous]

I am the invaluable experience poster. I did not bother responding with specifics to the nay-sayer. The benefits are huge. IYKYK.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here’s some advice for the uninitiated, as a parent of a former D1 4-year athlete.

Coaches don’t care about your child. They don’t care if your child gets injured. They don’t care about academics. They own your child and demonstrate that 12 months a year.

Most of the freshman athletes you join the team with will be gone by graduation. The transfer portal makes it easy for decent athletes to leave. Coaches will also tell less talented athletes to leave. Some will just quit. Others will get career ending injuries.

Just because your child got a scholarship doesn’t make them safe. Coaches will torment them. They might make them quit. They’d certainly bench them. The coaches take their responsibility to replace players with better players very seriously.

Your child will get injured, a lot. It will be a constant theme. Pre-season and the actual season takes its toll. Every year they remain on the team, the more damage they’ll do to their bodies. Concussions, knee, ankle, shoulder and elbow injuries happen. There is always a push to get players back to practice faster than necessary. Athletic training rooms are like M.A.S.H. units. Make sure the AT facilities and personnel are excellent or your children will suffer.

Athletic teams haze. You’ll don’t hear about it, but they do.

You’ll see your children less than the parents of NARPs. Athletics gets in the way of holidays, milestones and vacations. When you visit your children on campus you’ll be lucky to get a few hours with them for dinner depending on the sport, team culture and academic rigor.

D1 athletics are a mental and physical grind. Generally the benefits outweigh the costs, but that’s far from guaranteed.

Don’t exaggerate any athletic success in a college sport. Universities all post readily available statistics. People can see if your child isn’t contributing.

Athletics are a full time job. Make sure both you, and your child are ready for it.

It's not just D1. D2 and D3 are, as well. My child is a D3 athlete (had a D1 offer and is so thankful they didn't take it) and it was a GRIND. Practices or games 6 days a week. Super early lifting. Film review. Individual sessions. Travel out of state (mine had at least 3). Athletic/rehab training. Missing classes and dealing with professors about that. "Team bonding." Mandatory Study hall. And that is on top of classes.

Look, I like our coaches and team. But what we were told during recruiting was just words. They made assurances that were not kept. They made it seem like the Head Coach was super friendly and treated the kids like family (really, it's just the starters). Coaches have left (fine, that happens). And they do not GIVE TWO SH--- about mental health, no matter what the NCAA says. You either do it, do it well, and do it with no complaints, or nothing.

My kid's team absolutely did not haze. So, not all do.

Kid has not been home since summer, which was harder on them that I thought (and me too).

And to put salt in the wound, D3 gives no athletic money. You're doing all of the above for the love of the game. So you better make sure that you do because it's great. But it's also awful.

One final thought: those who diminish what athletes contribute can suck it. These kids have leadership, time management, grit, smarts, etc. that NARPs don't in the same way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:ED1 with coach support
D3
Probably only institutional need based aid but will cover enough of TCOA at top LAC so we are all in.
DC plans to play for 4 years but is planning for an intense academic track so we will see.

We are very excited about the school fit and academics and never gave D1 a second thought.

ED2 with coach support. Was pressured to do ED1 but we said we needed more time.
20k merit. Not tied to sport but I doubt dc would have received it otherwise
LAC
Dc wants to play all 4 years but you never know. Dc was shooting for d1 and did have some interest from patriot league d1 but opted for d3 ultimately and I think that was wise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s some advice for the uninitiated, as a parent of a former D1 4-year athlete.

Coaches don’t care about your child. They don’t care if your child gets injured. They don’t care about academics. They own your child and demonstrate that 12 months a year.

Most of the freshman athletes you join the team with will be gone by graduation. The transfer portal makes it easy for decent athletes to leave. Coaches will also tell less talented athletes to leave. Some will just quit. Others will get career ending injuries.

Just because your child got a scholarship doesn’t make them safe. Coaches will torment them. They might make them quit. They’d certainly bench them. The coaches take their responsibility to replace players with better players very seriously.

Your child will get injured, a lot. It will be a constant theme. Pre-season and the actual season takes its toll. Every year they remain on the team, the more damage they’ll do to their bodies. Concussions, knee, ankle, shoulder and elbow injuries happen. There is always a push to get players back to practice faster than necessary. Athletic training rooms are like M.A.S.H. units. Make sure the AT facilities and personnel are excellent or your children will suffer.

Athletic teams haze. You’ll don’t hear about it, but they do.

You’ll see your children less than the parents of NARPs. Athletics gets in the way of holidays, milestones and vacations. When you visit your children on campus you’ll be lucky to get a few hours with them for dinner depending on the sport, team culture and academic rigor.

D1 athletics are a mental and physical grind. Generally the benefits outweigh the costs, but that’s far from guaranteed.

Don’t exaggerate any athletic success in a college sport. Universities all post readily available statistics. People can see if your child isn’t contributing.

Athletics are a full time job. Make sure both you, and your child are ready for it.

It's not just D1. D2 and D3 are, as well. My child is a D3 athlete (had a D1 offer and is so thankful they didn't take it) and it was a GRIND. Practices or games 6 days a week. Super early lifting. Film review. Individual sessions. Travel out of state (mine had at least 3). Athletic/rehab training. Missing classes and dealing with professors about that. "Team bonding." Mandatory Study hall. And that is on top of classes.

Look, I like our coaches and team. But what we were told during recruiting was just words. They made assurances that were not kept. They made it seem like the Head Coach was super friendly and treated the kids like family (really, it's just the starters). Coaches have left (fine, that happens). And they do not GIVE TWO SH--- about mental health, no matter what the NCAA says. You either do it, do it well, and do it with no complaints, or nothing.

My kid's team absolutely did not haze. So, not all do.

Kid has not been home since summer, which was harder on them that I thought (and me too).

And to put salt in the wound, D3 gives no athletic money. You're doing all of the above for the love of the game. So you better make sure that you do because it's great. But it's also awful.

One final thought: those who diminish what athletes contribute can suck it. These kids have leadership, time management, grit, smarts, etc. that NARPs don't in the same way.

A number of d3 do give money. They don’t call it athletic scholarships but that’s what they are. My d3 dc was adamant that he wanted to be ‘reimbursed’ for his efforts. Sounds weird I know, but he said ‘I may not be a top top athlete in the entire country, but I’m very good and I’m putting my body on the line for this school every week, and I want some credit for it’. I respect that

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s some advice for the uninitiated, as a parent of a former D1 4-year athlete.

Coaches don’t care about your child. They don’t care if your child gets injured. They don’t care about academics. They own your child and demonstrate that 12 months a year.

Most of the freshman athletes you join the team with will be gone by graduation. The transfer portal makes it easy for decent athletes to leave. Coaches will also tell less talented athletes to leave. Some will just quit. Others will get career ending injuries.

Just because your child got a scholarship doesn’t make them safe. Coaches will torment them. They might make them quit. They’d certainly bench them. The coaches take their responsibility to replace players with better players very seriously.

Your child will get injured, a lot. It will be a constant theme. Pre-season and the actual season takes its toll. Every year they remain on the team, the more damage they’ll do to their bodies. Concussions, knee, ankle, shoulder and elbow injuries happen. There is always a push to get players back to practice faster than necessary. Athletic training rooms are like M.A.S.H. units. Make sure the AT facilities and personnel are excellent or your children will suffer.

Athletic teams haze. You’ll don’t hear about it, but they do.

You’ll see your children less than the parents of NARPs. Athletics gets in the way of holidays, milestones and vacations. When you visit your children on campus you’ll be lucky to get a few hours with them for dinner depending on the sport, team culture and academic rigor.

D1 athletics are a mental and physical grind. Generally the benefits outweigh the costs, but that’s far from guaranteed.

Don’t exaggerate any athletic success in a college sport. Universities all post readily available statistics. People can see if your child isn’t contributing.

Athletics are a full time job. Make sure both you, and your child are ready for it.

It's not just D1. D2 and D3 are, as well. My child is a D3 athlete (had a D1 offer and is so thankful they didn't take it) and it was a GRIND. Practices or games 6 days a week. Super early lifting. Film review. Individual sessions. Travel out of state (mine had at least 3). Athletic/rehab training. Missing classes and dealing with professors about that. "Team bonding." Mandatory Study hall. And that is on top of classes.

Look, I like our coaches and team. But what we were told during recruiting was just words. They made assurances that were not kept. They made it seem like the Head Coach was super friendly and treated the kids like family (really, it's just the starters). Coaches have left (fine, that happens). And they do not GIVE TWO SH--- about mental health, no matter what the NCAA says. You either do it, do it well, and do it with no complaints, or nothing.

My kid's team absolutely did not haze. So, not all do.

Kid has not been home since summer, which was harder on them that I thought (and me too).

And to put salt in the wound, D3 gives no athletic money. You're doing all of the above for the love of the game. So you better make sure that you do because it's great. But it's also awful.

One final thought: those who diminish what athletes contribute can suck it. These kids have leadership, time management, grit, smarts, etc. that NARPs don't in the same way.

A number of d3 do give money. They don’t call it athletic scholarships but that’s what they are. My d3 dc was adamant that he wanted to be ‘reimbursed’ for his efforts. Sounds weird I know, but he said ‘I may not be a top top athlete in the entire country, but I’m very good and I’m putting my body on the line for this school every week, and I want some credit for it’. I respect that

I respect that too. Good luck to your kid!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s some advice for the uninitiated, as a parent of a former D1 4-year athlete.

Coaches don’t care about your child. They don’t care if your child gets injured. They don’t care about academics. They own your child and demonstrate that 12 months a year.

Most of the freshman athletes you join the team with will be gone by graduation. The transfer portal makes it easy for decent athletes to leave. Coaches will also tell less talented athletes to leave. Some will just quit. Others will get career ending injuries.

Just because your child got a scholarship doesn’t make them safe. Coaches will torment them. They might make them quit. They’d certainly bench them. The coaches take their responsibility to replace players with better players very seriously.

Your child will get injured, a lot. It will be a constant theme. Pre-season and the actual season takes its toll. Every year they remain on the team, the more damage they’ll do to their bodies. Concussions, knee, ankle, shoulder and elbow injuries happen. There is always a push to get players back to practice faster than necessary. Athletic training rooms are like M.A.S.H. units. Make sure the AT facilities and personnel are excellent or your children will suffer.

Athletic teams haze. You’ll don’t hear about it, but they do.

You’ll see your children less than the parents of NARPs. Athletics gets in the way of holidays, milestones and vacations. When you visit your children on campus you’ll be lucky to get a few hours with them for dinner depending on the sport, team culture and academic rigor.

D1 athletics are a mental and physical grind. Generally the benefits outweigh the costs, but that’s far from guaranteed.

Don’t exaggerate any athletic success in a college sport. Universities all post readily available statistics. People can see if your child isn’t contributing.

Athletics are a full time job. Make sure both you, and your child are ready for it.

It's not just D1. D2 and D3 are, as well. My child is a D3 athlete (had a D1 offer and is so thankful they didn't take it) and it was a GRIND. Practices or games 6 days a week. Super early lifting. Film review. Individual sessions. Travel out of state (mine had at least 3). Athletic/rehab training. Missing classes and dealing with professors about that. "Team bonding." Mandatory Study hall. And that is on top of classes.

Look, I like our coaches and team. But what we were told during recruiting was just words. They made assurances that were not kept. They made it seem like the Head Coach was super friendly and treated the kids like family (really, it's just the starters). Coaches have left (fine, that happens). And they do not GIVE TWO SH--- about mental health, no matter what the NCAA says. You either do it, do it well, and do it with no complaints, or nothing.

My kid's team absolutely did not haze. So, not all do.

Kid has not been home since summer, which was harder on them that I thought (and me too).

And to put salt in the wound, D3 gives no athletic money. You're doing all of the above for the love of the game. So you better make sure that you do because it's great. But it's also awful.

One final thought: those who diminish what athletes contribute can suck it. These kids have leadership, time management, grit, smarts, etc. that NARPs don't in the same way.

A number of d3 do give money. They don’t call it athletic scholarships but that’s what they are. My d3 dc was adamant that he wanted to be ‘reimbursed’ for his efforts. Sounds weird I know, but he said ‘I may not be a top top athlete in the entire country, but I’m very good and I’m putting my body on the line for this school every week, and I want some credit for it’. I respect that

Well, that is the exception. My kid had several offers from expensive to non-schools. And NONE gave us athletic money. Luckily, kid had the grades for merit but it doesn't cover full tuition, but it does make it affordable. If they are giving athletic money, then they are violating the rules.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s some advice for the uninitiated, as a parent of a former D1 4-year athlete.

Coaches don’t care about your child. They don’t care if your child gets injured. They don’t care about academics. They own your child and demonstrate that 12 months a year.

Most of the freshman athletes you join the team with will be gone by graduation. The transfer portal makes it easy for decent athletes to leave. Coaches will also tell less talented athletes to leave. Some will just quit. Others will get career ending injuries.

Just because your child got a scholarship doesn’t make them safe. Coaches will torment them. They might make them quit. They’d certainly bench them. The coaches take their responsibility to replace players with better players very seriously.

Your child will get injured, a lot. It will be a constant theme. Pre-season and the actual season takes its toll. Every year they remain on the team, the more damage they’ll do to their bodies. Concussions, knee, ankle, shoulder and elbow injuries happen. There is always a push to get players back to practice faster than necessary. Athletic training rooms are like M.A.S.H. units. Make sure the AT facilities and personnel are excellent or your children will suffer.

Athletic teams haze. You’ll don’t hear about it, but they do.

You’ll see your children less than the parents of NARPs. Athletics gets in the way of holidays, milestones and vacations. When you visit your children on campus you’ll be lucky to get a few hours with them for dinner depending on the sport, team culture and academic rigor.

D1 athletics are a mental and physical grind. Generally the benefits outweigh the costs, but that’s far from guaranteed.

Don’t exaggerate any athletic success in a college sport. Universities all post readily available statistics. People can see if your child isn’t contributing.

Athletics are a full time job. Make sure both you, and your child are ready for it.

It's not just D1. D2 and D3 are, as well. My child is a D3 athlete (had a D1 offer and is so thankful they didn't take it) and it was a GRIND. Practices or games 6 days a week. Super early lifting. Film review. Individual sessions. Travel out of state (mine had at least 3). Athletic/rehab training. Missing classes and dealing with professors about that. "Team bonding." Mandatory Study hall. And that is on top of classes.

Look, I like our coaches and team. But what we were told during recruiting was just words. They made assurances that were not kept. They made it seem like the Head Coach was super friendly and treated the kids like family (really, it's just the starters). Coaches have left (fine, that happens). And they do not GIVE TWO SH--- about mental health, no matter what the NCAA says. You either do it, do it well, and do it with no complaints, or nothing.

My kid's team absolutely did not haze. So, not all do.

Kid has not been home since summer, which was harder on them that I thought (and me too).

And to put salt in the wound, D3 gives no athletic money. You're doing all of the above for the love of the game. So you better make sure that you do because it's great. But it's also awful.

One final thought: those who diminish what athletes contribute can suck it. These kids have leadership, time management, grit, smarts, etc. that NARPs don't in the same way.

A number of d3 do give money. They don’t call it athletic scholarships but that’s what they are. My d3 dc was adamant that he wanted to be ‘reimbursed’ for his efforts. Sounds weird I know, but he said ‘I may not be a top top athlete in the entire country, but I’m very good and I’m putting my body on the line for this school every week, and I want some credit for it’. I respect that

They didn’t get money for athletics. I hear this story often but it isn’t true. Coaches sometimes pretend that it’s for athletics but it is the same merit money offered to a kid with the same grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seems like our process is different than others.

1. Are you doing ED? Yes, ED to a SUPER reach. Passed preread but still a toss up. So have a back up plan to get started if bad news. Applied to plenty of other schools EA so will certainly still have solid options regardless, but this would be a great chance to play sport at reach school.
2. Are you doing d1 or d3? Any d2? D3. Had D1 mid major offers but picked academics over (still a solid academic) D1 offer.
3. Separate from any financial aid, is dc being offered merit aid (yes I’m aware there are technically no athlete scholarships for d3 but schools find $ anyway)? If so, how much? No. This D3 high academic does not give much merit aid and it is a reach in any event so not going to get any $$ and that is ok.
4. Is dc convinced they will play their sport all 4 years? What do they think about the transfer portal?

. . Yes and no. Does not matter to us if they play all 4 years. More concerned that the school itself may not be a good fit (again, a reach school) so not worried about the sport. This is a dream school academically and the sport was the hook. DC took in all the information and weighed pros and cons and decided to give this school a shot, with the knowledge that it may be a tough hill to climb academically.

Is this MIT? I'm not aware of any other school where you pass the pre-read, have the coach's full support, and it's still a toss up at admissions.

The other one like that is Caltech

No, you obviously ignorant

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Seems like our process is different than others.

1. Are you doing ED?
2. Are you doing d1 or d3? Any d2?
3. Separate from any financial aid, is dc being offered merit aid (yes I’m aware there are technically no athlete scholarships for d3 but schools find $ anyway)? If so, how much?
4. Is dc convinced they will play their sport all 4 years? What do they think about the transfer portal?

1. Rejected ED1 and ED2, in favor or RD for financial reasons. Willing to risk the offer. Received Likely Letter for RD

2. D3

3. Yes, about $28K

4. Yes. Transfer portal has minimal relevance, highly competitive T10 school, niche sport, not revenue generating sport

This one is also fiction.

R u the same dumb "must be Caltech" poster?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s some advice for the uninitiated, as a parent of a former D1 4-year athlete.

Coaches don’t care about your child. They don’t care if your child gets injured. They don’t care about academics. They own your child and demonstrate that 12 months a year.

Most of the freshman athletes you join the team with will be gone by graduation. The transfer portal makes it easy for decent athletes to leave. Coaches will also tell less talented athletes to leave. Some will just quit. Others will get career ending injuries.

Just because your child got a scholarship doesn’t make them safe. Coaches will torment them. They might make them quit. They’d certainly bench them. The coaches take their responsibility to replace players with better players very seriously.

Your child will get injured, a lot. It will be a constant theme. Pre-season and the actual season takes its toll. Every year they remain on the team, the more damage they’ll do to their bodies. Concussions, knee, ankle, shoulder and elbow injuries happen. There is always a push to get players back to practice faster than necessary. Athletic training rooms are like M.A.S.H. units. Make sure the AT facilities and personnel are excellent or your children will suffer.

Athletic teams haze. You’ll don’t hear about it, but they do.

You’ll see your children less than the parents of NARPs. Athletics gets in the way of holidays, milestones and vacations. When you visit your children on campus you’ll be lucky to get a few hours with them for dinner depending on the sport, team culture and academic rigor.

D1 athletics are a mental and physical grind. Generally the benefits outweigh the costs, but that’s far from guaranteed.

Don’t exaggerate any athletic success in a college sport. Universities all post readily available statistics. People can see if your child isn’t contributing.

Athletics are a full time job. Make sure both you, and your child are ready for it.

It's not just D1. D2 and D3 are, as well. My child is a D3 athlete (had a D1 offer and is so thankful they didn't take it) and it was a GRIND. Practices or games 6 days a week. Super early lifting. Film review. Individual sessions. Travel out of state (mine had at least 3). Athletic/rehab training. Missing classes and dealing with professors about that. "Team bonding." Mandatory Study hall. And that is on top of classes.

Look, I like our coaches and team. But what we were told during recruiting was just words. They made assurances that were not kept. They made it seem like the Head Coach was super friendly and treated the kids like family (really, it's just the starters). Coaches have left (fine, that happens). And they do not GIVE TWO SH--- about mental health, no matter what the NCAA says. You either do it, do it well, and do it with no complaints, or nothing.

My kid's team absolutely did not haze. So, not all do.

Kid has not been home since summer, which was harder on them that I thought (and me too).

And to put salt in the wound, D3 gives no athletic money. You're doing all of the above for the love of the game. So you better make sure that you do because it's great. But it's also awful.

One final thought: those who diminish what athletes contribute can suck it. These kids have leadership, time management, grit, smarts, etc. that NARPs don't in the same way.

A number of d3 do give money. They don’t call it athletic scholarships but that’s what they are. My d3 dc was adamant that he wanted to be ‘reimbursed’ for his efforts. Sounds weird I know, but he said ‘I may not be a top top athlete in the entire country, but I’m very good and I’m putting my body on the line for this school every week, and I want some credit for it’. I respect that

They didn’t get money for athletics. I hear this story often but it isn’t true. Coaches sometimes pretend that it’s for athletics but it is the same merit money offered to a kid with the same grades.

Where is your proof of this?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s some advice for the uninitiated, as a parent of a former D1 4-year athlete.

Coaches don’t care about your child. They don’t care if your child gets injured. They don’t care about academics. They own your child and demonstrate that 12 months a year.

Most of the freshman athletes you join the team with will be gone by graduation. The transfer portal makes it easy for decent athletes to leave. Coaches will also tell less talented athletes to leave. Some will just quit. Others will get career ending injuries.

Just because your child got a scholarship doesn’t make them safe. Coaches will torment them. They might make them quit. They’d certainly bench them. The coaches take their responsibility to replace players with better players very seriously.

Your child will get injured, a lot. It will be a constant theme. Pre-season and the actual season takes its toll. Every year they remain on the team, the more damage they’ll do to their bodies. Concussions, knee, ankle, shoulder and elbow injuries happen. There is always a push to get players back to practice faster than necessary. Athletic training rooms are like M.A.S.H. units. Make sure the AT facilities and personnel are excellent or your children will suffer.

Athletic teams haze. You’ll don’t hear about it, but they do.

You’ll see your children less than the parents of NARPs. Athletics gets in the way of holidays, milestones and vacations. When you visit your children on campus you’ll be lucky to get a few hours with them for dinner depending on the sport, team culture and academic rigor.

D1 athletics are a mental and physical grind. Generally the benefits outweigh the costs, but that’s far from guaranteed.

Don’t exaggerate any athletic success in a college sport. Universities all post readily available statistics. People can see if your child isn’t contributing.

Athletics are a full time job. Make sure both you, and your child are ready for it.

It's not just D1. D2 and D3 are, as well. My child is a D3 athlete (had a D1 offer and is so thankful they didn't take it) and it was a GRIND. Practices or games 6 days a week. Super early lifting. Film review. Individual sessions. Travel out of state (mine had at least 3). Athletic/rehab training. Missing classes and dealing with professors about that. "Team bonding." Mandatory Study hall. And that is on top of classes.

Look, I like our coaches and team. But what we were told during recruiting was just words. They made assurances that were not kept. They made it seem like the Head Coach was super friendly and treated the kids like family (really, it's just the starters). Coaches have left (fine, that happens). And they do not GIVE TWO SH--- about mental health, no matter what the NCAA says. You either do it, do it well, and do it with no complaints, or nothing.

My kid's team absolutely did not haze. So, not all do.

Kid has not been home since summer, which was harder on them that I thought (and me too).

And to put salt in the wound, D3 gives no athletic money. You're doing all of the above for the love of the game. So you better make sure that you do because it's great. But it's also awful.

One final thought: those who diminish what athletes contribute can suck it. These kids have leadership, time management, grit, smarts, etc. that NARPs don't in the same way.

A number of d3 do give money. They don’t call it athletic scholarships but that’s what they are. My d3 dc was adamant that he wanted to be ‘reimbursed’ for his efforts. Sounds weird I know, but he said ‘I may not be a top top athlete in the entire country, but I’m very good and I’m putting my body on the line for this school every week, and I want some credit for it’. I respect that

They didn’t get money for athletics. I hear this story often but it isn’t true. Coaches sometimes pretend that it’s for athletics but it is the same merit money offered to a kid with the same grades.

Where is your proof of this?

From the NCAA site: https://www.ncaa.org/sports/2014/10/24/play-division-iii-sports.aspx

While Division III schools do not offer athletics scholarships, 75 percent of Division III student-athletes receive some form of merit or need-based financial aid.

You can also run a search and get tons of results saying something to the effect “it’s against NCAA regulations for D3 schools to give athletic scholarships.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s some advice for the uninitiated, as a parent of a former D1 4-year athlete.

Coaches don’t care about your child. They don’t care if your child gets injured. They don’t care about academics. They own your child and demonstrate that 12 months a year.

Most of the freshman athletes you join the team with will be gone by graduation. The transfer portal makes it easy for decent athletes to leave. Coaches will also tell less talented athletes to leave. Some will just quit. Others will get career ending injuries.

Agree. They get audited on this, so have to make sure the merit money given to the rest of the student body is in the same proportion as money to the athletes. If the athletes are getting more money for the same grades, the school gets in trouble with the NCAA.

Just because your child got a scholarship doesn’t make them safe. Coaches will torment them. They might make them quit. They’d certainly bench them. The coaches take their responsibility to replace players with better players very seriously.

Your child will get injured, a lot. It will be a constant theme. Pre-season and the actual season takes its toll. Every year they remain on the team, the more damage they’ll do to their bodies. Concussions, knee, ankle, shoulder and elbow injuries happen. There is always a push to get players back to practice faster than necessary. Athletic training rooms are like M.A.S.H. units. Make sure the AT facilities and personnel are excellent or your children will suffer.

Athletic teams haze. You’ll don’t hear about it, but they do.

You’ll see your children less than the parents of NARPs. Athletics gets in the way of holidays, milestones and vacations. When you visit your children on campus you’ll be lucky to get a few hours with them for dinner depending on the sport, team culture and academic rigor.

D1 athletics are a mental and physical grind. Generally the benefits outweigh the costs, but that’s far from guaranteed.

Don’t exaggerate any athletic success in a college sport. Universities all post readily available statistics. People can see if your child isn’t contributing.

Athletics are a full time job. Make sure both you, and your child are ready for it.

It's not just D1. D2 and D3 are, as well. My child is a D3 athlete (had a D1 offer and is so thankful they didn't take it) and it was a GRIND. Practices or games 6 days a week. Super early lifting. Film review. Individual sessions. Travel out of state (mine had at least 3). Athletic/rehab training. Missing classes and dealing with professors about that. "Team bonding." Mandatory Study hall. And that is on top of classes.

Look, I like our coaches and team. But what we were told during recruiting was just words. They made assurances that were not kept. They made it seem like the Head Coach was super friendly and treated the kids like family (really, it's just the starters). Coaches have left (fine, that happens). And they do not GIVE TWO SH--- about mental health, no matter what the NCAA says. You either do it, do it well, and do it with no complaints, or nothing.

My kid's team absolutely did not haze. So, not all do.

Kid has not been home since summer, which was harder on them that I thought (and me too).

And to put salt in the wound, D3 gives no athletic money. You're doing all of the above for the love of the game. So you better make sure that you do because it's great. But it's also awful.

One final thought: those who diminish what athletes contribute can suck it. These kids have leadership, time management, grit, smarts, etc. that NARPs don't in the same way.

A number of d3 do give money. They don’t call it athletic scholarships but that’s what they are. My d3 dc was adamant that he wanted to be ‘reimbursed’ for his efforts. Sounds weird I know, but he said ‘I may not be a top top athlete in the entire country, but I’m very good and I’m putting my body on the line for this school every week, and I want some credit for it’. I respect that

They didn’t get money for athletics. I hear this story often but it isn’t true. Coaches sometimes pretend that it’s for athletics but it is the same merit money offered to a kid with the same grades.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Here’s some advice for the uninitiated, as a parent of a former D1 4-year athlete.

Coaches don’t care about your child. They don’t care if your child gets injured. They don’t care about academics. They own your child and demonstrate that 12 months a year.

Most of the freshman athletes you join the team with will be gone by graduation. The transfer portal makes it easy for decent athletes to leave. Coaches will also tell less talented athletes to leave. Some will just quit. Others will get career ending injuries.

Just because your child got a scholarship doesn’t make them safe. Coaches will torment them. They might make them quit. They’d certainly bench them. The coaches take their responsibility to replace players with better players very seriously.

Your child will get injured, a lot. It will be a constant theme. Pre-season and the actual season takes its toll. Every year they remain on the team, the more damage they’ll do to their bodies. Concussions, knee, ankle, shoulder and elbow injuries happen. There is always a push to get players back to practice faster than necessary. Athletic training rooms are like M.A.S.H. units. Make sure the AT facilities and personnel are excellent or your children will suffer.

Athletic teams haze. You’ll don’t hear about it, but they do.

You’ll see your children less than the parents of NARPs. Athletics gets in the way of holidays, milestones and vacations. When you visit your children on campus you’ll be lucky to get a few hours with them for dinner depending on the sport, team culture and academic rigor.

D1 athletics are a mental and physical grind. Generally the benefits outweigh the costs, but that’s far from guaranteed.

Don’t exaggerate any athletic success in a college sport. Universities all post readily available statistics. People can see if your child isn’t contributing.

Athletics are a full time job. Make sure both you, and your child are ready for it.

It's not just D1. D2 and D3 are, as well. My child is a D3 athlete (had a D1 offer and is so thankful they didn't take it) and it was a GRIND. Practices or games 6 days a week. Super early lifting. Film review. Individual sessions. Travel out of state (mine had at least 3). Athletic/rehab training. Missing classes and dealing with professors about that. "Team bonding." Mandatory Study hall. And that is on top of classes.

Look, I like our coaches and team. But what we were told during recruiting was just words. They made assurances that were not kept. They made it seem like the Head Coach was super friendly and treated the kids like family (really, it's just the starters). Coaches have left (fine, that happens). And they do not GIVE TWO SH--- about mental health, no matter what the NCAA says. You either do it, do it well, and do it with no complaints, or nothing.

My kid's team absolutely did not haze. So, not all do.

Kid has not been home since summer, which was harder on them that I thought (and me too).

And to put salt in the wound, D3 gives no athletic money. You're doing all of the above for the love of the game. So you better make sure that you do because it's great. But it's also awful.

One final thought: those who diminish what athletes contribute can suck it. These kids have leadership, time management, grit, smarts, etc. that NARPs don't in the same way.

A number of d3 do give money. They don’t call it athletic scholarships but that’s what they are. My d3 dc was adamant that he wanted to be ‘reimbursed’ for his efforts. Sounds weird I know, but he said ‘I may not be a top top athlete in the entire country, but I’m very good and I’m putting my body on the line for this school every week, and I want some credit for it’. I respect that

They didn’t get money for athletics. I hear this story often but it isn’t true. Coaches sometimes pretend that it’s for athletics but it is the same merit money offered to a kid with the same grades.

Agree. They get audited on this, so have to make sure the merit money given to the rest of the student body is in the same proportion as money to the athletes. If the athletes are getting more money for the same grades, the school gets in trouble with the NCAA.