Tips for Considering Division III Sports
At some point in their high school careers, many serious student athletes focus on one basic question: should I play in college?
For me, there was only one answer: YES. I loved basketball and I needed any financial help I could get to pay for college. I was incredibly fortunate to earn a full scholarship to a DII program. I was a first generation college student, and that scholarship opened up opportunities I’d never even considered, eventually leading me to a career as a college professor.
But as I noted in a previous blog, athletic scholarships are nearly impossible to come by, making DIII sports -- which don’t offer scholarships -- the most viable pathway to a college athletic career. In a way, this makes the decision of whether or not to play more complicated. If you don’t have to play as a condition of keeping a scholarship, you can really take the time to consider if you should.
The Basics
Playing college sports is a big commitment, so think about the obvious stuff first:
Do you have strong time-management skills? Will you be able to balance the demands of college sports along with your coursework?
You may be counting on an off-campus or work study job -- will you be able to manage that on top of practice, games, and school?
Will you be comfortable missing social activities for games or matches?
Will it be difficult to study abroad or engage in coop while you’re on the team?
But there are some less obvious questions to consider too, and they can be just as important to your college experience:
Do the current players like the coach? If you choose to play a sport in college, your coach will be the primary adult in your life. If you don’t like them, it’s going to be a rough ride. If you have an opportunity to meet the team prior to the start of the season or academic year, pay attention to how the players talk about the coach. Do they respect her? Do they express frustration or anger about her policies or strategies? Players who respect their coaches are more likely to have a positive experience. When players relentlessly make fun of or complain about a coach, it’s a red flag. Be sure to notice.
Do the current players like each other? Again, if you can meet the players ahead of time, pay attention to how they interact with one another. Are they having fun? Do they seem like they respect and support one another? These are the people you will spend most of your time with; make sure you want to. A college team is like a family, and it should feel like one.
How many players on the current team play your position, what years are they, and do they get a lot of playing time? Let’s say you’re a lacrosse goalie and you’ve been talking to a coach who’s really interested in you. If that team had only two losses the season prior behind a freshman goalie who played every minute of every game, it’s likely you won’t be getting time for quite a while. It’s important to ask the coach what he thinks your role will be.
Can you handle being a bench player? If you were a strong high school player, chances are you don’t have a lot of experience sitting on the bench. But neither does anyone else on a college team. Your college teammates will be former high school MVPs and all-conference and all-state players. In other words, everybody’s pretty good, but somebody isn’t playing. It’s hard to sit on the bench. Think about how you might handle it.
The decision to play college sports at any level is a big one, and those are just a handful of things to consider. As questions come up during the decision-making process, ask the coach, the current players, or the athletic director for answers. Don’t leave anything on the table.
At May First, we want your college experience to be challenging, transformative, and fun. Playing a sport can be a meaningful part of that experience. We’d love to help you explore and apply to colleges that are your best fit both on and off the field. Give us a call (617.851.9975) or send an email to info@yourmayfirst.com and let’s chat.
