High school tennis players often hold the mistaken belief that only blue-chip athletes can qualify for college scholarships from colleges and universities. While raw talent is, of course, a factor in scholarship decisions, this is by no means the only qualification necessary to win a sports scholarship. There is college funding available at many levels of play, and students don't necessarily need Rafael Nadal's backhand to take advantage.
Tennis' rise in popularity in recent years has lead to a dramatic increase in competition for college-level tennis scholarships. The students who are most successful in their scholarship search are those who narrowly define their goals and abilities. Rather than concentrating on pursuing recruitment to a wide range of diverse programs, students should choose three or four programs which align most closely with their level of play.
There are many different competitive divisions within National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tennis, including NCAA Divisions I and II, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). Each level has its own standards, which students should study carefully. Coaches most often award scholarships to students who fall within the top 10 percent of their bracket, so students are often more successful in pursuing scholarships in a bracket slightly lower than their top level of play.
One of the most common mistakes tennis players make is assuming that recruitment coaches will visit local tournaments and games to look for talent. In reality, most coaches develop prospect lists based on proactive contact with individual players. Prospective athletes should keep detailed records of their tournament history and game stats, and be prepared to send this information to recruitment coaches.
Contrary to what one might think, a student's life off the court plays a major role in scholarship potential. As a general rule, coaches must seek administrative approval before granting a sports scholarship to a prospective student. This means that grades, extracurricular activities and other factors play a role. Since colleges and universities have been faced with shrinking endowments in recent years, schools are more eagerly seeking players who can excel both academically and on the court.
While it's statistically unlikely that most tennis scholarship recipients will go on to professional-level play, there are still a wide variety of career options which are open to students who have played competitive college ball. As tennis continues to rise in popularity, the demand for qualified coaches and pros has grown proportionately, and coaching opportunities are plentiful in schools, country clubs and tennis academies around the US and abroad.
Author writes about a variety of topics. If you would like to learn more about sports scholarships, visit http://www.collegeanswer.com/.
Tennis' rise in popularity in recent years has lead to a dramatic increase in competition for college-level tennis scholarships. The students who are most successful in their scholarship search are those who narrowly define their goals and abilities. Rather than concentrating on pursuing recruitment to a wide range of diverse programs, students should choose three or four programs which align most closely with their level of play.
There are many different competitive divisions within National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) tennis, including NCAA Divisions I and II, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). Each level has its own standards, which students should study carefully. Coaches most often award scholarships to students who fall within the top 10 percent of their bracket, so students are often more successful in pursuing scholarships in a bracket slightly lower than their top level of play.
One of the most common mistakes tennis players make is assuming that recruitment coaches will visit local tournaments and games to look for talent. In reality, most coaches develop prospect lists based on proactive contact with individual players. Prospective athletes should keep detailed records of their tournament history and game stats, and be prepared to send this information to recruitment coaches.
Contrary to what one might think, a student's life off the court plays a major role in scholarship potential. As a general rule, coaches must seek administrative approval before granting a sports scholarship to a prospective student. This means that grades, extracurricular activities and other factors play a role. Since colleges and universities have been faced with shrinking endowments in recent years, schools are more eagerly seeking players who can excel both academically and on the court.
While it's statistically unlikely that most tennis scholarship recipients will go on to professional-level play, there are still a wide variety of career options which are open to students who have played competitive college ball. As tennis continues to rise in popularity, the demand for qualified coaches and pros has grown proportionately, and coaching opportunities are plentiful in schools, country clubs and tennis academies around the US and abroad.
Author writes about a variety of topics. If you would like to learn more about sports scholarships, visit http://www.collegeanswer.com/.