Even the best of the best still aren’t the best when it comes to aspiring athletes. Competitors who compete in high school striving to play at a division one college will have to work hard and overcome dwindling odds. Only two high school athletes out of one-hundred will play collegiate sports; even more alarming, “Only 1 in 16,000 high school athletes attains a professional career in sports.” (www.ncaa.org) In order to achieve an athletic scholarship, an athlete must be completely dedicated to their sport and willing to go above and beyond. Start your search early and don’t be afraid to reach out to college coaches. Sophomore and junior year is a perfect time to email and call coaches or assistant coaches.  They cannot call you back so stay persistent; lay out all your achievements on the table. A coach won’t know what you’re capable of until you tell them. An athletes relationship with their coach and teammates is key to the success and happiness they have at the program.  Take unofficial visits, talk to the teammates, and sit in on a class. The more times you visit a school the better you get to know the coach and program. That way, during your senior year, you can take your five official visits with confidence. Progress is key because it shows that you’re constantly improving and haven’t reached your peak. If you can show steady progress than you will become a better candidate in a coache’s eyes. Get to know the assistant coach as well because they can advocate for you, and will often times, be the person an athlete communicates with.

Another factor in an athlete’s decision in choosing their home for the next four or five years should also be academics. At the end of the day, the education an athlete receives at college will serve them for the rest of their life. Because less than one percent of all high school students become professional athletes, academics should set the precedent. First look for colleges with good academics and then narrow your choices down by looking at the athletic program.

To honor the athletes committing to play collegiate sports, the Jetstream will be keeping an ongoing list of those who have or will sign to play collegiate sports. If you are signing or know of someone who is, please let us know! Congrats to the following signees:

Jordan Pingel- University of Central Florida for Volleyball

Maddy Jahelka- University of California, Berkley for Lacrosse

Ryan McCarthy- Santa Clara University for Baseball

Hunter Doerr- University of Minnesota for Swimming

Kassady Huffman- Air Force Academy for Basketball

Rachel Martino- Colorado College for Soccer

Ally Neary- Long Island University for Soccer

Tyler Hanenberg- Western State University at Gunnison for Wrestling

Austin Dewing- Air Force Academy for Soccer