Be Ready to Play at the Collegiate Level
Student athletes need to understand that it is a process between playing high school sports and then pursuing the opportunity to play their sport as a collegiate athlete.
The journey for most student athletes can begin as early as their Freshman (9th grade) year based on the sport your student athlete would like to pursue.
There are different levels of collegiate opportunities. Most athletes are familiar with the NCAA but are not familiar with NAIA, NCCAA or consider the NJCAA opportunities. Athletes need to understand that there are many different opportunities that may allow athletes to continue playing the sports they love and have learned during their high school years.
Each collegiate level: NJCAA, NAIA, NCCAA and NCAA have their own recruitment guidelines. Within the levels each one has different divisions: I, II, and III. The scholarship opportunities vary with each division of each collegiate level. It is important for player’s who desire to play in college to:
- Communicate their desire with the team coaches
- Become familiar with the NCAA Eligibility Requirements
- Actively research potential colleges/universities
- Participate in college camps, combines, and other training opportunities
- Investigate recruiting agencies to determine if one will meet their needs and desires.
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) NCAA Eligibility Center
http://web1.ncaa.org/ECWR2/NCAA_EMS/NCAA_EMS.html#
Click on "Resources" and then "Home School Students" for Home School specific information
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) NAIA Eligibility Center
http://www.playnaia.org/
National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) NJCAA Eligibility Center
http://www.njcaa.org/todaysNJCAA_Certification.cfm?category=Certification
National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) http://www.thenccaa.org/
Recruiting Resources
NCSA: www.ncsasports.org
Be Recruited: www.berecruited.com
CaptainU: www.captainu.com
