Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To get into a college you wouldn’t have gotten into otherwise, although in that case, you can quit the day you arrive on campus for freshmen year with no repercussions.

Not if you are on scholarship. A lot are contingent on playing the sport.

You can at a D3, which can’t give athletic scholarships.

Thanks for asking the question OP. This has been very helpful to me as someone who grew up and went to college abroad where sports are not big in college. I have ES kids who are into sports and the info on this thread is very helpful.

Being a college athlete in a sport where professional options are limited (every sport really, but try telling that to a 18 year old basketball player) has many benefits and some serious negatives.

For now - Athletes at D1 and D2 have the potential for athletic scholarships. A few sports are required to offer only “full” scholarships (football, men’s and women’s basketball, volleyball, gymnastics, women’s tennis). Other sports divide up scholarships among the team. The division need not be equal. Most schools do not “fully fund” all scholarships. For example, a Division 1 school can offer up to 9.9 scholarships for men’s soccer, but the coach might only be allowed by the school to offer a total of 4. Colleges have to comply with Title IX on scholarships and stay on budget.

Now - we are at the start of a different athletic experience with NIL money. What that makes college sports look like 10 years from now will be interesting. Yes, football and mens basketball will see money, but, for example, my undergrad college has $7000 in NIL money for everyone on the women’s soccer team. It will change the experience and incentives in every sport.

Once you are on a team - the non- scholarship benefits would typically be things like class scheduling preferences, study room and tutoring assistance (though common for all undergrads but easy to get access for athletes). Other benefits are more logistical and practical - specific dorm and food options which will have proximity to athletic locations, and practicality for athlete schedules. Eg, the regular cafeterias might stop serving at 7:00 and if your team’s practices are not over until 8 what do you do? Have the cafeteria in the athletic dorm area stay open for athletes. Also - food options and portions may differ than regular fare. Mind you - we are still talking cafeteria food, but they might, for example, always have a broiled chicken option.

One benefit that most if not all athletes quickly grow to love is clothes, or more specifically laundry. Ever wonder why athletes at your college are always wearing team sweats or team shirts? Showing off? Nope. They just do not have to launder them. They can bag them in the Locker room and they will reappear a day or two later in their locker. Washed. That does not happen with non-team gear.

Downsides - significant. That is why so many kids quit along the way. The biggest thing is that college team sport atmosphere is very different than that on teams kids have been on as kids. Start with the fact that the head coach is not your friend, or even friendly. Why? They make their decisions based on what they think is best for the team - which will, in turn, be best for them. Your job as an athlete is to make sure you are working hard so you continue to have the coach thinking he/she needs to have you play - compete. This set up means your competitors include your teammates. If you are playing - that means someone else on the team is not playing. It changes the relationships.

Also - think back to high school days - did Seniors mix much with freshmen even if they were on the same team? That returns in college. Upperclassmen are at different life stages than underclassmen. Also, they see underclassmen as competitors for playing time. On the field it won’t matter at all. Off the field they won’t be mean or unsupportive, but they mostly won’t be very helpful or inclusive either.

It is a ton of time and effort. Way way more than before college. For D1 competitive programs it is a full time job, and then you go to school. Really. In season a D1 athlete can be required to commit 25 hours a week to the sport. But that does not include travel. That also does not include time to get to and from practices, change for practice, and all the “volunteer” time doing things like watching game film, working out, and doing non-supervised rehab. It is way to much effort if you do not play. So - playing time very quickly becomes more important than winning. Don’t get playing time? You will quit. Most do in the non-full scholarship sports.

And - even at big schools - playing a sport very much limits your academic options. Yes - there are work around at MIT. But, in the vast majority of schools the arts and lab sciences are out. You miss too much time traveling for sports. And, eventually, at the Junior and Senior levels the need to take sequenced classes puts serious restrictions on majors.

Still - there are post grad benefits. My kids soccer coach who, in 4 years, did not speak to her more than 60 minutes collectively, became a great reference for her. It also gets you interviews. If you saw a resume from a new grad float across your desk and it otherwise met your standards (gpa, etc) you are going to give them an interview. With women in particular, it helps in business dealing with “team” issues and with guys. It is why so many women executives played college sports.

In some cases, to get into colleges via easier admission criteria. It’s a cynical gane for some UMC/wealthy white parents, a real passion for others.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know there are a couple obvious, valid answers:

- Love of the sport
- Athletic scholarship

But being a college athlete seems intensely time consuming and disruptive to both studies and social life (I say this not having been a college athlete). Taking money out of the equation and assuming you can enjoy your sport on a more casual basis (rec leagues, etc), what are the advantages of pursuing a sport in college?

Asking in case it's relevant to one of my kids.

You obviously are not an athlete oh gosh

Thus why I asked. Thanks for participating.



Thanks to all for the answers. I don't know if my kids will be good enough, but they have the potential and seem to enjoy their sports.

OP don’t let them shame you. We have elementary age kids and their passion and talent for soccer are consuming our lives! 3x week practice, the games, the tournaments, and at least one son plays baseball too. It’s a lot. I’m lucky because I have a friend who admitted that all the sacrifices she gave up for super competitive high school sports and college athletics were NOT worth it. The lost events in her social life…. The family weekends and money sucked into a vacuum of sports always on a holiday weekend.. she loved her sport but if her kids don’t play it at that level she is fine with it!!!!
I obviously will be too. For what it’s worth, we are in MoCo and each kid’s academy level soccer is 2K A YEAR. It’s crazy!!!! We will have invested over $20,000 in each kid’s sports by the time college rolls around. Let your kids lead you and decide together as a family- what is your family culture? What are your values? What is your goal for them? Like others suggested, we love the lessons sports teach and we love that our boys love to move their bodies in a healthy way, they are super fit even for little kids and love their lives! We can’t ask for more than that and want them to have complete lives with physical activity being one of the many things they enjoy. You’ll find the balance!!

As a parent of kids who played a ton of club soccer, and one who played in college for 4 years, I would just say that you (parents) must must must pay attention and keep on top of their participation and level of play - and where they stand. You must must must help them keep their options open. Soccer in the US is very often the first team sport kids play, and more athletic (and relatively older/early maturing) kids can do well. For a while. It’s fine if they go as far as they want, and have fun along the way. But, it’s not fine if they are a slow 14 year old who will never make the high school varsity team, and they have not ever really played other sports - even at a rec level.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know there are a couple obvious, valid answers:

- Love of the sport
- Athletic scholarship

But being a college athlete seems intensely time consuming and disruptive to both studies and social life (I say this not having been a college athlete). Taking money out of the equation and assuming you can enjoy your sport on a more casual basis (rec leagues, etc), what are the advantages of pursuing a sport in college?

Asking in case it's relevant to one of my kids.

You obviously are not an athlete oh gosh

Thus why I asked. Thanks for participating.



Thanks to all for the answers. I don't know if my kids will be good enough, but they have the potential and seem to enjoy their sports.

OP don’t let them shame you. We have elementary age kids and their passion and talent for soccer are consuming our lives! 3x week practice, the games, the tournaments, and at least one son plays baseball too. It’s a lot. I’m lucky because I have a friend who admitted that all the sacrifices she gave up for super competitive high school sports and college athletics were NOT worth it. The lost events in her social life…. The family weekends and money sucked into a vacuum of sports always on a holiday weekend.. she loved her sport but if her kids don’t play it at that level she is fine with it!!!!
I obviously will be too. For what it’s worth, we are in MoCo and each kid’s academy level soccer is 2K A YEAR. It’s crazy!!!! We will have invested over $20,000 in each kid’s sports by the time college rolls around. Let your kids lead you and decide together as a family- what is your family culture? What are your values? What is your goal for them? Like others suggested, we love the lessons sports teach and we love that our boys love to move their bodies in a healthy way, they are super fit even for little kids and love their lives! We can’t ask for more than that and want them to have complete lives with physical activity being one of the many things they enjoy. You’ll find the balance!!

The money you are spouting off is nothing compared to some

Anonymous wrote:My kid would love to be a college athlete. They are in an insanely competitive sport, however, with limited spots and only something like 8 D3 teams. It's a shame b/c the sport has been so important for many years.

What sport Jan?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I know there are a couple obvious, valid answers:

- Love of the sport
- Athletic scholarship

But being a college athlete seems intensely time consuming and disruptive to both studies and social life (I say this not having been a college athlete). Taking money out of the equation and assuming you can enjoy your sport on a more casual basis (rec leagues, etc), what are the advantages of pursuing a sport in college?

Asking in case it's relevant to one of my kids.

You obviously are not an athlete oh gosh

Thus why I asked. Thanks for participating.



Thanks to all for the answers. I don't know if my kids will be good enough, but they have the potential and seem to enjoy their sports.

OP don’t let them shame you. We have elementary age kids and their passion and talent for soccer are consuming our lives! 3x week practice, the games, the tournaments, and at least one son plays baseball too. It’s a lot. I’m lucky because I have a friend who admitted that all the sacrifices she gave up for super competitive high school sports and college athletics were NOT worth it. The lost events in her social life…. The family weekends and money sucked into a vacuum of sports always on a holiday weekend.. she loved her sport but if her kids don’t play it at that level she is fine with it!!!!
I obviously will be too. For what it’s worth, we are in MoCo and each kid’s academy level soccer is 2K A YEAR. It’s crazy!!!! We will have invested over $20,000 in each kid’s sports by the time college rolls around. Let your kids lead you and decide together as a family- what is your family culture? What are your values? What is your goal for them? Like others suggested, we love the lessons sports teach and we love that our boys love to move their bodies in a healthy way, they are super fit even for little kids and love their lives! We can’t ask for more than that and want them to have complete lives with physical activity being one of the many things they enjoy. You’ll find the balance!!

I love the sport and was good enough to play in college.

My kid would love to be a college athlete. They are in an insanely competitive sport, however, with limited spots and only something like 8 D3 teams. It's a shame b/c the sport has been so important for many years.

I wonder this too?

Close friendships and fun can be had anywhere on a college campus, so those are not answers.

Anonymous wrote:Main advantage is a high academic kid can get into a D3 program or D1 Ivy (no scholarship) they would have never gotten into otherwise and then choose not to play if they don't want to play.

Otherwise, D1 is a full-time job. It's not a normal college experience. But I'm sure it's unique and brings a lot of value in what it is. You'd have to love the sport or have no way to pay for college to do it.

I was D1 Ivy and quit halfway through first season. Not for me.

Most D1 athletes have nothing near a full ride, so for most it’s a tuition discount with some nice perks (special dining hall; nice gear; register first for classes; free tutoring if needed; team-assigned academic advisor; connections with other athletes at the school; easy entry to sports events; good medical team support). Think of it as your fitness program, your sorority and your part/time job all rolled into the same team.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Played professionally. It was worth it. 2 kids play in college now.

I don't know if either will be good enough to play professionally, but the time management and communication skills, along with the discipline you get from going though college w an athletics commitment is life shaping.

That’s cool, PP. How long were you a pro? How did you find the transition to your non-playing life?

9 years. In tech space now. Transition was easy for me. Most guys have a hard time w it. I’m fortunate.

Anonymous wrote:Played professionally. It was worth it. 2 kids play in college now.

I don't know if either will be good enough to play professionally, but the time management and communication skills, along with the discipline you get from going though college w an athletics commitment is life shaping.

That’s cool, PP. How long were you a pro? How did you find the transition to your non-playing life?

Main advantage is a high academic kid can get into a D3 program or D1 Ivy (no scholarship) they would have never gotten into otherwise and then choose not to play if they don't want to play.

Otherwise, D1 is a full-time job. It's not a normal college experience. But I'm sure it's unique and brings a lot of value in what it is. You'd have to love the sport or have no way to pay for college to do it.

I was D1 Ivy and quit halfway through first season. Not for me.