The Facts About
Student-Athlete Recruiting

Myth #1: If You Are A Good Enough Student Athlete, They Will Find You!

Fact: Unless you're a nationally recognized "super star" athlete they will not be able to find you. Colleges and universities simply do not have the money or the resources to allow college coaches to scout in excess of 7 million (yes that's right - 7 million!) high school student athletes each year.

Every year tens of thousands of qualified student athletes go unnoticed simply because college coaches don't know who they are. Don't be one of the unfortunate ones who miss out.

You have to have someone working on your side who can market your abilities and qualifications to them. CSA Prepstar has been doing that successfully since 1982. We have a network of over 23,000 coaches at more than 2000 NCAA & NAIA schools, so you can be assured that every coach and college that's a "good fit for you", will know everything about you – both academically and athletically.

Myth #2: Grades Don't Matter.

Fact: Schools with great academic reputations have a very hard time finding enough good athletes with great academics. A solid GPA and a good SAT combined with decent athletic talent AND the proper exposure will provide you with more opportunities than you could have ever imagined.

Some of the Division III schools that cannot offer athletic scholarships CAN offer academic and other scholarships.

Myth #3: I'm A Great Athlete With Pro Potential, I Don't Need An Education.

Fact: There are over 1 million high school football players competing each year in North America but of those, only around 300 will ever see the pro ranks in the NFL, CFL or Arena football leagues combined.

With basketball there are about 600,000 high school student athletes competing each year and the odds are about 10,000 to 1 of ever becoming a pro.

How about hockey?

Well consider this: Young hockey players are not only competing against every other player in Junior hockey in Canada, but also the thousands who play high school hockey in the US, PLUS hundreds of thousands more who play in all the different European countries.

The odds are truly stacked against you for becoming a pro athlete. Consider the facts and realize that you need to use your athletic ability to achieve an education in order for your future to truly be successful.

Myth #4: There Are Very Few Sports Scholarships For Women!

Fact: Legislation which mandates equal sports opportunities for college women is partly responsible for the increase in scholarships for women. Furthermore, scholarships for women in traditionally male-dominated sports, such as soccer and water polo have been added.

Some coaches say they are having trouble giving away the scholarship money available for these and other womens sports because currently there just are not enough women applicants. A major reason may be that many do not know these sports exist for women at the collegiate level.

Myth #5: If You Want A Sports Scholarship, You Have To Be Good Enough To Play At Division I Schools!

Fact: Over 150,000 sports scholarships are Available each year, and not all are from Division I schools.

Many student-athletes think only about NCAA Division I schools, the highest level of collegiate athletic competition, when they think of sports scholarships. It is understandable because these schools are the ones that you most often read about and see each weekend on television.

But, while these highly visible college sports teams draw the most attention, there are thousands of other colleges that offer competitive sports programs and award athletic scholarships to help pay for your education.

Myth #6: You Have To Be A Superstar To Win A Sports Scholarship!

Fact: Student-Athletes other than superstars are awarded the majority of the more than 150,000 athletic scholarships that are available each year.

Only 1% of high school athletes get 99% of the attention from college coaches and recruiters. These superstars, commonly referred to as blue-chip athletes, have extraordinary athletic talent, along with high profile scores, times and ratings. They top the list on scouting reports and are ranked nationally.

However, there are just a handful of these superstars compared to the thousands of other athletes who make an important contribution to college sports teams each year. Even the most competitive colleges sign only one or two of these high-profile athletes in any given year, while less competitive colleges usually do not sign any, but still offer as many scholarships.

So who gets the scholarships? You do, providing you know how to go about it! College coaches fill their rosters with student-athletes who have proven through past accomplishments that they are able to balance athletics and academics and have shown the commitment, dedication and time management skills to excel in these different areas.

Athletic seasons overlap with high school seasons, so coaches are often busy with their own teams when you are competing. Also, recruiting costs money. Many colleges simply do not have the budgets to search for athletes outside their immediate regions. They rely heavily on information that is sent to them about prospective student-athletes.

The most important concept here for you to understand is: if you sit back and wait, you will probably be overlooked. You have to get noticed to begin the recruiting process. "You have to draw attention to yourself." To get noticed, you must have a marketing plan of attack!

For the most part, scholarships go to qualified student-athletes who grab the attention of college coaches and maintain their interest through a concentrated marketing campaign.

Just as you would put together a game plan for winning your game, you must put the same kind of thought and care into winning a sports scholarship. It has been said that "any athlete that promotes him/herself shows a genuine interest in continuing his/her career and education."

You have to find a way to let college coaches know you exist and that you are interested in playing your sport at their school. You must make a concentrated effort to present yourself and your talents to coaches who will benefit from your addition to their team roster, but who, because of limited recruiting budgets and a possible lack of time, have never even heard your name.

If you need more information on CSA Canada, how we can help you, the student athlete (your teenage student-athlete if you're a parent), or if you have any questions about athletic recruiting, please use the "Contact" link at the bottom of this page.

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