The Possibility Of College Athletics

“But you know that you’re probably never going to play in college, right?” This is what almost anyone who plays any level of a sport, from elementary school to high school, hears from their teachers, parents, and even coaches. From the start of our athletic careers, most of us are taught to not set our sights on college level athletics because according to most people, it’s unrealistic.

I’ll never forget an opinionated substitute teacher I once had who was not afraid to speak openly about any topic that crossed his mind. One day in class, he was talking about the football program at my school to a couple of the kids who were on the team. I heard him say, “I hope you kids realize that it’s more likely that everyone in this room will become brain surgeons than that everyone in this room will become college athletes.” There’s a common theme here of adults keeping kids’ dreams in check and making sure that they don’t set themselves up for disappointment.

And while some of the statistics and opinions that they bring up might be true and justified, it makes me wonder, why the ‘negative nancy’ attitude towards college sports? In every other aspect of our lives, we as kids and as students are taught to set our sights high and reach for our dreams. Isn’t the teacher who tells you to aim for something more realistic the same one who hangs up a sign in their 5^th grade classroom saying “shoot for the moon; even if you miss you’ll land among the stars”? Isn’t the coach who says that it might be a little out of your reach the same one who tells you to push yourself harder? Isn’t the parent that encourages you to play it safe the same one who’s always told you that you can do anything you set your mind to?

It might be true that most high school athletes will not continue their athletic careers after their hats are thrown at graduation. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that more of them couldn’t stick with their sports if they really wanted to.

Recently, I went to a field hockey college showcase in Disney World. One hundred seventy six teams and 145 college representatives were in attendance for 5 straight days of field hockey. While there were plenty of players who went for the fun times and warm weather, the majority of girls there traveled from all around the world in hopes of getting recruited to play at the college level. And every scout came to fill their rosters with players that could help his or her programs. My team was far from the best team there, but even at our games there were always at least 5 to 10 scouts watching and taking notes. In the days following the tournament, some of my teammates began receiving emails from representatives of multiple schools who were impressed with the playing ability of my teammates.

Tournaments like the one I went to in Disney World exist all over the country for every sport. My friends who play basketball, volleyball, soccer, softball, and more are always telling me how scouts were in attendance at their latest tournaments. Whether it’s through club teams, high school teams, or showcases like the one I went to in Florida, college recruitment for sports is not as rare as people might think. Think about it. You probably know at least one person who is definitely playing or who is planning to play a sport when they go to college. At Quince Orchard, two field hockey players, three soccer players, two football players, one baseball player, and one lacrosse player have already signed to play their sport in college. And there are more athletes who plan to sign before the end of the year or walk on to their college’s team when the fall semester starts.

The fact of the matter is that there are over 2,500 colleges in the United States and on average a university will offer 20 different sports, excluding intramurals. In total, over 400,000 young men and women will participate in college athletics each year.

I’m not saying that everyone can play a college sport just because they want to. And I’m not saying that adults are wrong to try and steer their kids clear of the disappointment of rejection. But I am saying that it’s far from impossible to continue your athletic career once you get to college. Just like in anything you do, hard work and perseverance is crucial. But if you love the sport you play and you dream of playing at the next level, don’t give up before you try. There’s a level of play for everyone within the spectrum of college athletics, ranging from large and highly competitive division 1 schools to smaller and more relaxed division 3 schools. So whether it’s wearing your school colors in the college stadium, playing intramural or club with great athletes, or just organizing a pick up game with your dorm mates, it’s important not to give up something you love doing.

Maybe my substitute teacher was right, and maybe that room full of 9^th grade English students was more likely to produce 30 brain surgeons than 30 college athletes. I think it’s pretty unlikely that either scenario would happen. But what is likely is that someone can succeed at something if they love it enough to work their hardest at it everyday. Whether it’s college sports, a career in theater, a medical or law degree, an art studio of your own, or certification to be a cop, we should all always shoot for the moon. After all, that sign in our 5^th grade classroom did promise us that even if we miss, we will land among the stars.