Is Your Athlete Ready for the Next Level?
The expectations gap
If you are a parent who studies the recruitment game, you probably already know the stat: only about 1-2% of college undergraduates are on an athletic scholarship at all, and full rides are even more rare (source). That is what the public understands. But there is another reality we live as parents of our own athletes. In our world, we see our kids training hard and competing against the best in their arena. We are there for the countless practices and team recognitions. As we watch our kids mature and succeed in their sport, we start to believe they are part of that 2%.
That was the exact thought we had about our own kids. Could we have been wrong? Yes. Both of ours did go on to play sports in college, but there was always a possibility they would not get a scholarship. Even with their ability, the humbling fact is that there are roughly 1.5 million high school football players and track and field athletes combined, competing right alongside them.
As former athletes, we know firsthand that your competition is a huge unknown. It is unknown because, despite what the stats say, you have no control over the result — only your actions.
The full conversation
That is why I encourage parents to have the full conversation about what is ahead for their athlete. Here are a few points to guide it:
Your athlete is competing against an entire country of athletes, not just those in their area. That matters when you are gauging how they rank in their sport. Good reference: MaxPreps
The focus must stay on how well your athlete is progressing on THEIR journey, not on the athletes beside them. Mindset will be the separator when they are competing against kids who are just as good as they are.
Playing at the next level is so much bigger than the name on the jersey. College sports is a business, which means your athlete inherits a job. It is not practice a few days a week with a parent handling drop-off and pickup. The expectation is that you contribute to the success of the team, and you will be treated like an employee. That comes with tough conversations and high expectations whether you are a freshman or a senior.
As a former Division I athlete now raising collegiate athletes, I am sharing the things that stood out when we played and are still true now that our kids are doing the same — one plays football in the NCAA and the other runs track in the NAIA, and both face the same expectations.
Lastly, just because your athlete has the ability does not mean they want to sign up for the rigor of college sports. It's A LOT. When you set proper expectations, you give your athlete the room to decide whether this is a path they actually want to take. That saves a lot of heartache later from misaligned expectations.
If you'd like more tips, book a session right here on our website.
Lorraine Eloms | Top Speed Athletics & Mental Performance and Life Coaching, helping young athletes develop the mental and emotional tools to compete and thrive.
