Part VII, the last in a series: Are you genuinely committed to the dream of playing college sports?

Being a college student-athlete ain’t for sissies

There is a Red Line Moment in the life of a high school athlete. It’s the moment when he or she decides whether or not to go for the brass ring of a college scholarship. That moment is unpredictable in its timing. It can hit home when the athlete is as freshman, sophomore, junior or senior year. It makes sense then, doesn’t it, that the earlier you commit to making a run at a scholarship offer the better your chances will be of getting an offer? Definitely.

But, here’s the rub — regardless of when in time the decision is made to move forward, there are certain things which you have to do to demonstrate your preparedness for the college athletic experience and there are challenges out in front which you have to know and get a grasp on. Check these out and see if you are really ready for the college athletic experience:

1. Grades: Regardless of your athletic talent, you must qualify academically to be admitted into schools and to be eligible for participation as freshman. The higher your core course GPA and standardized test scores, the more schools you will qualify to enter. It stands to good reason, then, that away from athletics you should focus your attention on classroom performance. In truth, college coaches would rather offer a roster spot to a solid athlete with solid grades than a great athlete who barely scrapes by academically. There are far fewer risks involved. In short, low grades translate into few options. High grades produce more options. If you are truly committed to securing a college scholarship offer, you will do the following key things: a) When you enter a classroom, lock down onto what’s happening. What would happen if you laughed and talked during a team meeting while the coach was talking? Same thing applies to academics. Sit down. Keep quiet. Focus. Listen. Learn. b) Take your books home and study at the very least for a half hour in each one every night. Not being assigned homework or given the chance to do your homework at the end of class will not get you where you will need to be academically for college. In college you will be on your own, forced to study away from class and produce on papers, tests and exams. Get used to it now. Academic discipline will pay huge dividends in high school as well as college. Academic laziness will hurt you at every turn. c) Turn off all distractions when you are studying, including your cell phone and computer. No texting. No posting. No calls. And tell your friends that you will not be able to communicate with them between certain hours. Even so, some will call. You must have the will to remain homed in on what you are doing.   All that done, you have to do it on your own in college.  Are you ready for that?
2. Work ethic: The downfall of many a good high school athlete is work ethic. But, what does work ethic really entail? Arriving early to practices, workouts and games. Giving everything you have from the moment you start until the end. Hustle. Push yourself. Work hard. Execute drills at full speed. Intensity. Determination. All these determine your work ethic. And, it’s all determined between your ears and in your heart. No college coach will recruit a lazy player or one that is inconsistent in his or her efforts. Work ethic. Work at it.  When you don college gear, there will be no excuses.  You will be there to work and work and work.  Slackers will not be tolerated, not for a second. 

3. 

   Off-season workouts: The romantic notion that college sports are all fun is a load of bull. It’s a 12-month job which will demand that you stay on top of your physical conditioning and improve your skill sets for four years. Diligence and dedication during the off-season is an enormous part of your obligations to your coach, your team and to your scholarship. You earn it every day. Being prepared as a high school athlete for the rigors of the college athletic experience is a must these days. There is no shortcut within sight, so get with it today or get left behind. Always remember this: there is somebody out there today working hard to get your scholarship offer. What you do in response to that is your call. Lag back and you’re done. Surge ahead and you win. 

4. Starting from scratch all over again: Get this straight in your head now — your past accomplishments will mean nothing in college. They will get you in the position to be recruited, yes, but the instant you become a college student-athlete, you will have to prove yourself all over again. If your ego can’t handle that, you will be in for a long freshman year. Players one to five years older than you who have been in that college program have a head start and they will have the advantage both in understanding the coaching staff’s directives and in their abilities to execute. They will be stronger, faster and more mature. They will be in the catbird seat while you are attempting to compete for a role on the squad. Accepting the situation will help you to mentally prepare for what lies ahead.
5. Life on your own: Start now setting your own alarm, doing your own laundry and other various day-to-day tasks that you will have to do in college. Mom or Dad will not be there to bail you out when you sleep in or to tell you to hit the sack at night. You are an adult and college coaches will expect you to act like one from Day One. It will be a big lifestyle change all around. Handling the little things will be on you such as getting to class and practice on time. Showing up for labs and meals. Knowing when to study and when to hang with your friends. These are decisions which you will be responsible for making every day. What about fun? There will be plenty of that to be had, but as a college student-athlete you will have specific obligations which you just have to meet. Failing to do the right thing could easily mean that you will be flipping burgers come second semester. Get right with yourself on this because there will not be second shots to be had.