About College Sports
The world of college sports is as competitive as any activity in the United States. Players every year are getting bigger, smarter, and stronger. In football alone, the average lineman is 6’4” and bench presses over 400 pounds. Such athletes represent the finest in the world. High School athletes are therefore encouraged to remember these statistics and to remember that college is primarily an ACADEMIC experience.
What you do now in high school will determine in large measure what you will do in college, both on the court or the playing field and in the classroom. The success you realize in both areas will be the direct result of how hard you are willing to work now.
At the college level, athletics require an enormous amount of a student’s time. Now is the time to develop the right habits!
Why do you need to plan carefully for High School and College Sports?
Consider these facts:
Only 3% of high school football players receive a scholarship to play in college; most of those are partials.
Only 1 1/2% of high school basketball players receive scholarships to play in college—also mostly partials.
Only 38% of Division I (major college) football players graduate at the end of five years. The percentage is lower for basketball.
Tennis, swimming, and other kinds of scholarships are necessarily limited because of financial restrictions in many colleges.
If you receive a questionnaire from a major college expressing interest in you as a football player, the odds are still as high as 320:1 that you’ll ever receive a scholarship.
Your Freshmen Year
Complete the Downey High Athletics Athletic Pre-Participation Clearance Packet. This must be done every year.
Meet with your Guidance Counselor to discuss your four-year plan as a roadmap to college. (Early December)
Meet again with your guidance counselor before you register for your sophomore course to discuss college entrance requirements and to assure compliance with the NCAA eligibility rules. (Early February)
Your Sophomore Year
Take the PSAT to practice for the SAT.
Meet again with your counselor before registration for the junior year to complete NCAA division I worksheet to assure compliance with the NCAA eligibility requirements.
Review the NCAA’s Eligibility for the College-Bound Student Athlete rules. They are available online at the NCAA website.
Your Junior Year
Take the PSAT in October to practice for the SAT.
Meet with your counselor before registration for your senior year to be sure to meet college admission requirements and to update your NCAA division I worksheet to assure compliance with the NCAA’s eligibility rules.
Secure a copy of the NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Athlete from your Athletic Director. Specifically read the section on athletic eligibility. Discuss it with your parents and coach.
Sign up for Collegeboard.org.
Meet with your guidance counselor to discuss your PSAT results. Take the SAT and/or ACT in the winter or spring of the year.
Inform your coach of your interest in playing a sport in college.
Visit colleges you are potentially interested in attending.
Your Senior Year
Retake the ACT and/or SAT as needed.
Meet with your guidance counselor early in the Fall to review your transcript & Division I worksheet to assure compliance with the NCAA’s eligibility requirements.
Meet with your coach to discuss your college potential to play for certain colleges.
Mail your college applications.
Review the NCAA Guide for the College Bound Athlete.
What is the NAIA?
The NAIA is a college sports governing body created in 1937 that administrates championships in 25 different sports at the college level.
There are over 250 schools and 60,000 athletes competing at the NAIA level in college. They comprise mostly smaller private colleges.
NAIA schools offer the following sports: Basketball, Baseball, Cross Country, Football, Soccer, Track & Field, Swimming & Diving, Softball, Wrestling, Volleyball (women’s only) and Competitive Cheer/Dance. Lacrosse and Men’s Volleyball are coming soon.
Want to play NAIA Colege Sports?
Visit NAIA.org
What is the NCAA?
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a member-led organization dedicated to the well-being and lifelong success of college athletes.
Want to Play…
Division 1 College Sports? (learn more)
Division 2 College Sports? (learn more)
Division 3 College Sports? (learn more)
Visit www.ncaa.com
ACADEMICS are THE ANSWER to achieving your goals!
NCAA Division 1 Athletic Eligibility
4 years of English
3 Years of Math (Algebra I or higher)
2 Years of Natural / Physical Science (1 year of lab if offered)
1 Year additional English, Math, or Natural / Physical Science
2 Years of Social Science
4 Years of additional courses (From any area above, foreign language, or non-doctrinal religion/philosophy)
