An Honest View About Athletic Scholarships

Knowing that my son had played college baseball, a colleague shared the attached article from today's "New York Times." While new, more equitable scholarship regulations will soon alter somewhat a few of the specific points he makes, the essence of the article holds true.

There are plenty of good reasons for a player to aspire to play college baseball; but, winning a scholarship that's going to defray a majority of his costs should not be among them. The scholarship is "icing on the cake," and any player or parent who's strongly motivated by that goal needs to seriously re-examine their intent.

"Expectations Lose to Reality of Sports Scholarships":

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/10/sports/10scholarships.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

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Very interesting

Great article BUT i really think parents could care less about the money....what they really love is the bragging rights!

 

I think this article is dead-on & needs to be read by alot of Parents.

A hidden cost not mentioned in the article is the in-ability of athletes to work a job. They can't work growing up since sports are 12 month propositions. And they can't work during college because their sport owns them.

I'm not complaining...we love it. But the money issue can be a shocker.

 

The only baseball players I know of that attend college for free, are both doing so based on academics. One at Belmont Abbey, and one at Barton College.

 

Prepster - Great Post

While my sons were playing travel ball I was really surprised by parents who felt that their sons were a shoe in to get a full ride to a D-1 school. Many of these same parents had never even attended a college game to see the level of competition. Needless to say, many parents end up being dissappointed by the whole process. If only these same parents knew of this web site which I have found to be very informative and helpful during my sons high school playing days.
BTW Prepster, hope your son is doing well. I continue to follow his career.

 

Very good info. Wished I would have seen it when my son was 6. He could have played Hockey Ha, Ha !!!!!!!!

 

prepster

Good post - closer to the truth than a lot of parents will want to hear.

Kids need to learn this early enough so that they can concentrate on the academic side. A lot more funds available there.

 

I'm building a rink in my back yard. I believe it is worth the investment

 

I have preached this for years to our parents. I am printing the article and making copies for future reference. It tells it like it is. Though I must say, a lot of the private schools are able to come up with academic monies for athletes to get them close to a full ride, if not all the way there, that the public schools can't seem to find. Grades are important.

 

Great Post - Downside is Limited

Even if your child does not get a college scholarship look at the things they get from sports - learning how to be a member of a team working toward a mutual goal, be outside exercising (not inside playing video games), learning that hard work has rewards, making friends that share your love of the game, learning how to manage your time between school work and sports, travelling to different cities and states....

Sure it takes time, but the way things are these days at least you cannot get into too much trouble on a ball field (lets say it is a lot less likely anyway)...and as my grandmother used to say "Idle hands are the devils workshop."