Athletic Scholarship Recipients Do This

So you say want an athletic scholarship huh? You've heard about the sacrifices it takes and are willing to make them. Great! You don't have to worry about hard work because you should have that one down pact. These are also a couple things that you can think about that, for the most part, within your control.

Don't take these improvement suggestions personally. There will always be and have always been exceptions to the rule. Most importantly, see this from the recruiters' perspective. These are the things that will differentiate you from another athlete if he is stuck between you too.

1. GPA
These are the three biggest letters in your academic career and being an athlete doesn't exempt you from that. The NCAA has certain academic requirements that all athletes must meet (and so do the other athletic associations). Furthermore, most top tier schools have academic standards that their athletes must meet that are well above the minimums imposed by the NCAA. All you have to do is research the Dukes and Notre Dames. When a school awards you an athletic scholarship, they are making an investment in you. If there's a chance you will be ineligible after the first semester, they won't want to deal with you. Also, your GPA can be interpreted in many ways by a recruiter. Does this athlete work hard? Does he/she have time management skills? How smart is this individual?

2. Student involvement
Collegiate programs want well-rounded team players. They also look for leadership potential. Organizations like student government, the school newspaper, or even a part-time job can show the recruiter that you're not just some dumb jock. It can be really good to be able to throw or kick a ball, but you will most likely be throwing or kicking that ball to a teammate. They want to know that you will be able to work well with them.

3. Awards and starts
This one you don't have complete control over, but has to be put on here because it can end up playing a major part in your earning an athletic scholarship. As with any job, an employer looks at skill (talent) and experience. You may being on one of the premier high school football teams in your state and only start your junior and senior years, but it does jump out to recruiters when they see an individual that has been starting since they were a freshman.

You also don't have complete control over the awards you receive. You do, though, have more control over this than if the coach puts you in the game or not. If you don't score the most points because you're not receiving a lot of touches, make sure that your field goal percentage is high. If your plays aren't called a lot, get your average yards per carry as high as you can. Don't mess up the team to improve your stats, but when you have an opportunity to perform make sure you do.

Recruiters for colleges do look at these things above. Not only that, but there are vast amounts of students who want these athletic scholarships. Try your best to work on these suggestions. They'll be worth your time.