How to Get Recruited as a College Athlete to NCAA

Every year, the National Collegiate Athletic Association – NCAA – opens its doors to thousands of potential NCAA college athletes. There are generally three divisions – I, II, and III – each with its set of colleges where these student-athletes get an education at some of the best institutions of higher learning for free while playing for their respective schools.  

The NCAA, a member-led organization, has a total of 1,092 colleges and universities with 24 selected sports, including soccer and basketball. One can find detailed essays and reports on whether students get free education in exchange for their sportsmanship and how that impacts their futures as pro-athletes at https://studymoose.com/free-essays/soccer.

These reports and soccer essay topics show examples of a marginal 2% of total recruits who end up playing professionally, but who, during their time in these institutions, manage to maintain the delicate balance between sports and academics.

How the NCAA Works

There are three divisions of NCAA schools:

Division I – 344 schools 

Division II – 302 schools

Division III – 446 schools

Research shows Division I schools to have the biggest budget of all three. They also do offer the most generous number of athletic scholarships every year. With over 6,000 athletic teams that handle over 170,000 students, schools in this division promise to withhold high academic standards for their recruits while exposing them to a wide range of sports opportunities.

Over 300 NCAA colleges and universities make up Division II schools. The focal point of this cluster is to produce all-round individuals, just as is with Division I. Students are expected to complete their essays and paper exams with the same commitment they show at the field to stay the course. Schools in this division are located in 45 states.

Division III allows over 195,000 students to study on full or partial scholarships in 446 institutions all over the country.

How to get an Athletic Scholarship

College sports recruiting starts early on in high school when a coach realizes the potential in some members of their team. They will often mention this to a talent scout who will then attend a few games to see the star player in their element. When that fails to happen, yet a player feels they have what it takes to get into college through a sports scholarship, they could register their intent with an NCAA Eligibility Center in their area. A college recruiting committee will base an applicant’s eligibility on their academic performance as well as sports proficiency.  

North American applicants pay $90 while those from other countries, $150. An application requires one to fill a form stating their preferred division, email address, and a brief history of their academic and sports performance. You can also submit this information in the form of a short essay.

There are a few NCAA recruiting rules you will want to know and adhere to when filling for this scholarship. When you gain a Division I/II ticket, you are ineligible to talk to coaches during your sophomore year of high school – at least for most sports. Contact with a coach is defined as anything more than a hello, or a face-to-face meeting.

How the Covid-19 Pandemic has affected NCAA Activities

The Covid-19 pandemic led to the closure of schools and pitches, halting the gaining of knowledge both academically and in sports. With more test samples bringing back positive results every day, the future of sports as we know it looked bleaker by the day until recently. Student-athletes certainly had their hopes dashed for a while, but with pitches opening up again and schools planning to reopen after taking the required precautions, things are looking up. NCAA recruitment is expected to commence once again since colleges will still need players.