WAG Div I NCAA Walk-On Offer Info

[Stormy]

For those of you starting down the road of college athletics, please take my advice and the advice of others (@bookworm) in the spirit intended - information that you might not get anywhere else. I had no clue about some things before we started down that road and now that dd is retired and in college on a full academic scholarship (and then some), I am happy to share some of what I learned. My biggest caution is just be wary; if something seems to be too good to be true, it probably is. While athletic scholarships are fabulous and recognize an athlete's amazing abilities, there is still the academic side of college that has to be considered. I cannot stress enough to get out and visit prospective colleges; there is no better way to experience it than to actually be on campus. You can take as many unofficial visits as you care to pay for; get out there and see what different schools have to offer.

Good Luck.

So we have been continuing down the road and doing our research and making visits. I was wondering if anyone can explain the scholarship program for schools whose gymnastics program is not for funded. I have heard about programs like Towson not being founded and assumed that all 12 scholarships would be equal amounts but not full tuition?? But now I am hearing about D1 schools that are not fully funded that have 6 full in-state tuition scholarships and 6 not full out of state tuition scholarships. Maybe the out of state athletes get the same amount as the in state athletes and have to pay the difference??I am lost on understanding this. I really was under the impression all D1 scholarships for a sport had to be the same. Anyone know how this works???

 

[bookworm]

So, as the season progresses and is 25% done, I have time to sit back and reflect on the whole college gym experience... in thinking of the past few years, I will say to those of you sending your kids of to do any NCAA sport, you will know in the first year ( heck, in the first few months on campus with the coaches) whether the program your child has picked is the right fit....and if it is , great ( and I'm not defining "right fit" as meaning free ride for you as a parent in having no tuition bill because many a parent thinks that makes it the right fit)....but if it isn't, I would definitely encourage you to get your kid out of that environment either through a transfer to a different school/ program, or if she really enjoys the school she is at, "retiring" or leaving that team environment...it can really destroy a kid's whole perspective on life in general to remain with those type of people...and believe me, I know....

I get that the athletes are there to "do a job" by having their scholarship, but you would never allow yourself to be treated how some of these girls are treated in your job for 4 YEARS! You'd change jobs to something that suited you better...and that's what I'm saying should happen with these athletes...do not discount your child's experience BECAUSE they are getting the full ride. Athletic scholarships are heavily weighted towards the schools so often times the athlete only has family as an advocate...please embrace this role.

If the fit isn't right, will never get better, and usually will get worse ( unless there is a coaching change, but new coaches generally aren't all that welcoming to those already there...think ASU and the many girls that left there after Lyst came in, although Taylor Alexx seems to have survived the change there, but she herself transfered out of Utah after her first year)...we know of a few girls who transferred out of the toxic environment they were in and have thrived at their new schools, so while it's not easy, it can be done....what do they say "hindsight is 20/20"? ...for sure..

The Greenberg article "Tough love: crossing the line" is something to keep in mind through all this as he delineates what no coach should ever do...

 

[txgymfan]

Bookworm, I know you don't like to get to personal but is your DD 2 having a better experience?

 

[ginnymac]

[QUOTE="bookworm, post: 439575, member: 5539"
The Greenberg article "Tough love: crossing the line" is something to keep in mind through all this as he delineates what no coach should ever do...[/QUOTE]




Wow! Thanks for sharing. Although basketball is the focus of that article, I know it goes on in all sports.

 

[bookworm]

Bookworm, I know you don't like to get to personal but is your DD 2 having a better experience?

Thank god she did or I would've lost faith in all of humanity...

 

[Natasha]

Thank you Bookworm for sharing your experiences and wisdom. You provide valuable insight that is difficult to find anywhere.

 

[MomIdidit!]

bookworm and MeetDirector.....we are currently looking into colleges for my baseball player son. I appreciate all the information the two of you have posted here on cb....it has been very useful!!!

 

[shelovestoflip]

So, as the season progresses and is 25% done, I have time to sit back and reflect on the whole college gym experience... in thinking of the past few years, I will say to those of you sending your kids of to do any NCAA sport, you will know in the first year ( heck, in the first few months on campus with the coaches) whether the program your child has picked is the right fit....and if it is , great ( and I'm not defining "right fit" as meaning free ride for you as a parent in having no tuition bill because many a parent thinks that makes it the right fit)....but if it isn't, I would definitely encourage you to get your kid out of that environment either through a transfer to a different school/ program, or if she really enjoys the school she is at, "retiring" or leaving that team environment...it can really destroy a kid's whole perspective on life in general to remain with those type of people...and believe me, I know....

I get that the athletes are there to "do a job" by having their scholarship, but you would never allow yourself to be treated how some of these girls are treated in your job for 4 YEARS! You'd change jobs to something that suited you better...and that's what I'm saying should happen with these athletes...do not discount your child's experience BECAUSE they are getting the full ride. Athletic scholarships are heavily weighted towards the schools so often times the athlete only has family as an advocate...please embrace this role.

If the fit isn't right, will never get better, and usually will get worse ( unless there is a coaching change, but new coaches generally aren't all that welcoming to those already there...think ASU and the many girls that left there after Lyst came in, although Taylor Alexx seems to have survived the change there, but she herself transfered out of Utah after her first year)...we know of a few girls who transferred out of the toxic environment they were in and have thrived at their new schools, so while it's not easy, it can be done....what do they say "hindsight is 20/20"? ...for sure..

The Greenberg article "Tough love: crossing the line" is something to keep in mind through all this as he delineates what no coach should ever do...

Appreciate the insight. It's a needle in a haystack chance that my daughter, Level 10 junior, will be doing gymnastics in college, though she will try for a few schools.
I think your point about how we as adults wouldn't stay in a toxic job environment for 4 years is excellent!
As parents, as much as the cost of college is daunting (I am in denial!), our child's emotional health is what matters most!!

 

[tomtnt]

Appreciate the insight. It's a needle in a haystack chance that my daughter, Level 10 junior, will be doing gymnastics in college, though she will try for a few schools.
I think your point about how we as adults wouldn't stay in a toxic job environment for 4 years is excellent!
As parents, as much as the cost of college is daunting (I am in denial!), our child's emotional health is what matters most!!

I'm curious how you came to the conclusion that your level 10 daughter doesn't have a good shot a college gymnastics? I think it would be difficult for us to have our daughter continue in high level gymnastics once we reach that conclusion given the large amount of time commitment, risk of injuries, and school load as a sophomore/junior. I'd like to come to that conclusion sooner rather than later in order to give a chance to pursue other activities/concentrate on school in order to increase her chances of a good college admission rather than be dependent on a slim shot at gymnastics getting her foot in the door.

 

[AmandaLynn]

For some kids, the sport itself is their passion. Personally, I wouldn't make my kid give up her passion just because it will not get her a college scholarship.

Different strokes, I guess...

 

[bookworm]

I'm curious how you came to the conclusion that your level 10 daughter doesn't have a good shot a college gymnastics? I think it would be difficult for us to have our daughter continue in high level gymnastics once we reach that conclusion given the large amount of time commitment, risk of injuries, and school load as a sophomore/junior. I'd like to come to that conclusion sooner rather than later in order to give a chance to pursue other activities/concentrate on school in order to increase her chances of a good college admission rather than be dependent on a slim shot at gymnastics getting her foot in the door.

If you are having your daughter continue in high level gymnastics for the remote shot at a college scholarship ( taking into account skill set desired by colleges, injuries, whether or not your jo coach helps with the process or not etc), I would move on now for 2 reasons...1. That is a huge amount of pressure to put on a kid ( that we're in this so you get a college scholarship, when there are a ton of other benefits to being in the sport besides that, including just loving it) and 2. With your current mind set, you are likely to be disappointed by the outcome if she doesn't get the full ride....and that can be a heavy load to bear if she thinks she "failed" by not getting it..

We have known girls who have gone to JOs multiple times, and are walking on to teams, or forgoing gymnastics altogether in college because they didn't get an offer ( still going to college but for academics only) so just being good doesn't assure you a spot...and then there's many girls we have known who have had a full ride but had to give it up because of a catastrophic injury before college rolled around...

My point is, planning on NCAA as why you would keep your kid going , given the financial and time commitments, is a crap shoot at best...

 

[MeetDirector]

What AmandaLynn said ^^^^ (and bookworm, too). Our dd lived her passion thru to the end of high school; it was a simple matter of not being a multi-year Lvl 10 by her sophomore year that kept her from competing in college. The whole time she kept her academics at the highest level at the most difficult college-prep school in our area. She probably could have competed D-3, but that wasn't what she wanted academically. Seeing her passion thru as she did set her up for so many more of life's challenges in the future that it was all worth it. Her unending dedication to this extremely difficult sport, in fact, secured her place in a very competitive college program.

 

[skschlag]

I'm curious how you came to the conclusion that your level 10 daughter doesn't have a good shot a college gymnastics? I think it would be difficult for us to have our daughter continue in high level gymnastics once we reach that conclusion given the large amount of time commitment, risk of injuries, and school load as a sophomore/junior. I'd like to come to that conclusion sooner rather than later in order to give a chance to pursue other activities/concentrate on school in order to increase her chances of a good college admission rather than be dependent on a slim shot at gymnastics getting her foot in the door.

YEah, I have a son in gymnastics, and the odds of a scholarship for him are even smaller. Any kid playing any sport for a scholarship is in it for the wrong reasons. SPorts teaches many more life skills that will be more valuable down the road than most academic skills. And if my son has a passion and wants to pursue it, we will do so until he stops. College is not the point of gymnastics, it is just a pathway.

If you are looking for a scholarship, I can tell you how......Take your monthly tuition, put it into an account each month, and at the end..you will have a scholarship

 

[tomtnt]

YEah, I have a son in gymnastics, and the odds of a scholarship for him are even smaller. Any kid playing any sport for a scholarship is in it for the wrong reasons. SPorts teaches many more life skills that will be more valuable down the road than most academic skills. And if my son has a passion and wants to pursue it, we will do so until he stops. College is not the point of gymnastics, it is just a pathway.

If you are looking for a scholarship, I can tell you how......Take your monthly tuition, put it into an account each month, and at the end..you will have a scholarship

Agree with all this -- but, level 10 gymnastics isn't like other sports... whether you are a college bound or not, it still requires training 20+ hours each week risking acute and chronic injuries... 20+ hours which could be spent on volunteering, other sports and school activities, studying, etc. She's competing against students in her school who do nothing but study - it's hard to keep up when you have a full time job practicing and competing in gymnastics.

We don't actually need a scholarship - but we are hoping that it does open doors for her as MeetDirector noted above regarding her daughter...

 

[Natasha]

Agree with all this -- but, level 10 gymnastics isn't like other sports... whether you are a college bound or not, it still requires training 20+ hours each week risking acute and chronic injuries... 20+ hours which could be spent on volunteering, other sports and school activities, studying, etc. She's competing against students in her school who do nothing but study - it's hard to keep up when you have a full time job practicing and competing in gymnastics.

We don't actually need a scholarship - but we are hoping that it does open doors for her as MeetDirector noted above regarding her daughter...

A college (selective private college, although not Ivy League) admissions director told us at a workshop that colleges are looking for students with passion. He said they are moving away from looking at kids being involved in lots of different activities to looking for kids that show long term-high level commitment to one or two areas of interest. So, I am hoping that my dd's long term passion for gymnastics will help her, in addition to the fact that she maintains high A's with 20 hours of practice. The admissions director also said that some school are changing their application to where you can only list up to 3 extracurricular activities. I was very encouraged by his presentation as I always worried that dd didn't have time for other activities outside of school. You are right though, it is a hard path. DD is still at the point where she loves gym though and can't imagine not doing gym…if my dd had days where she didn't want to do it or ever had thoughts of quitting then I would have a harder time with this big of a commitment.

 

[gymgal]

I'm curious how you came to the conclusion that your level 10 daughter doesn't have a good shot a college gymnastics? I think it would be difficult for us to have our daughter continue in high level gymnastics once we reach that conclusion given the large amount of time commitment, risk of injuries, and school load as a sophomore/junior. I'd like to come to that conclusion sooner rather than later in order to give a chance to pursue other activities/concentrate on school in order to increase her chances of a good college admission rather than be dependent on a slim shot at gymnastics getting her foot in the door.

Could you really pull your dd out of a sport she has been doing since she as little, one that is just about her whole life? Take her away from her 2nd family? Tell her that you know she has worked so hard all these years and so close to reaching her goal (usually L10 for most girls, then they are thinking college) but since she her chance of getting a gym scholarship is minimal, she will have to quit? Could you really do that? I am not trying to offend or be sarcastic. I am serious. When people ask about gymnastics (either in real life or on boards), the first thing I always say is that you have to be OK with being in it for the long haul. Barring major financial/medical catastrophe, you have to be ready to put in lots of hours and money for 10+ years and expect nothing in return. If you are not ready to make that commitment, then don't stay long enough to allow your daughter to catch the gym bug. And this is not just for gymnastics. It stands for other sports that requires enormous amounts of time and money.

 

[mariposa]

My daughter is a 13 year old 2nd year level 8. She decided after watching 2 teammates go through the recruiting process and talking to another former teammate that competes doe a D1 school that she does not have any aspirations to do college gymnastics. She doesn't want the pressure of having recruiters come in and watch her or fighting for your spot in line up week after week for 4 years, etc.

I'll still be paying for gymnastics as long as she wants to do it. She loves it and this is really the only time she'll be able to do this sport, so as long as her heart is in it, it's where my money will be, too.

 

[AmandaLynn]

Agree with all this -- but, level 10 gymnastics isn't like other sports... whether you are a college bound or not, it still requires training 20+ hours each week risking acute and chronic injuries... 20+ hours which could be spent on volunteering, other sports and school activities, studying, etc. She's competing against students in her school who do nothing but study - it's hard to keep up when you have a full time job practicing and competing in gymnastics.

I think that this is where we differ the most. I do not want school to be my child's entire identity. Nor do I want gymnastics to be her entire identity. I want children that are well rounded, well adjusted and ready to conquer the world. If she volunteers, I want it to be because it is a cause she believes in and it makes her feel like she is making a difference. Not just because it will look good on a college application. I don't want her to have stress of college recruiting weighing over her head and I don't want her to have to give up things that mean something to her in order to focus more time on things that some people that have never met her would argue are more "important".

We are still a long way from college with our kids. But honestly, if my kids go to college, great. If they decide that they have a different passion in life, that is cool too. My kids do well in school this far, and are both ahead of their grade level, but I don't feel that school and grades define a person.

It takes all types to run this world and it would be a very boring place if everyone took the exact same path. Neither DH nor myself have a 4 year degree and we live quite comfortably with a 6 figure income that comes mostly from his full time job, with a little help from my part time job. People that are motivated and passionate will succeed, even if they do not follow the same path that most people feel is the traditional way.

Long winded way to say... If my kids go to college, great. If not, great. As long as they work hard, follow their dreams, and are generally happy with their life choices, then all is well in my heart. And honestly, gymnastics (as well as other sports, arts, etc.) builds character just as well as academics.

 

[Muddlethru]

I'm curious how you came to the conclusion that your level 10 daughter doesn't have a good shot a college gymnastics? I think it would be difficult for us to have our daughter continue in high level gymnastics once we reach that conclusion given the large amount of time commitment, risk of injuries, and school load as a sophomore/junior. I'd like to come to that conclusion sooner rather than later in order to give a chance to pursue other activities/concentrate on school in order to increase her chances of a good college admission rather than be dependent on a slim shot at gymnastics getting her foot in the door.

I agree with gymgal above. My daughter has had one injury after another the last three years and has barely competed injury free. She 14 years old and a freshman. Colleges have already been looking at her graduating year. We've not much to show because of her injuries. What you've stated above has crossed my mimd. But this is what she loves. There is certainly a world out there outside of gymnastics, but will she be passionate about it? My youngest is a dancer. She's 10. Believe me that dance is more expensive than gymnastics and she spends even more hours at the studio than my gymnast. Getting a scholarship is even slimmer than gymnastics. But when she gets in the car and says "I just love dance and I wish I could just stay in the studio all day", would you tell her to give it up? Often times the monetary value of what you get pales in comparison with the other benefits.

Agree with all this -- but, level 10 gymnastics isn't like other sports... whether you are a college bound or not, it still requires training 20+ hours each week risking acute and chronic injuries... 20+ hours which could be spent on volunteering, other sports and school activities, studying, etc. She's competing against students in her school who do nothing but study - it's hard to keep up when you have a full time job practicing and competing in gymnastics.

We don't actually need a scholarship - but we are hoping that it does open doors for her as MeetDirector noted above regarding her daughter...

Gymnastics will open doors; and I have to say, many gymnasts are equally, and many are even more competitive, academically than their "nothing but study" classmates. In fact, top colleges look for more well rounded students. Many gymnasts get into Ivy league schools, Stanford, Berkeley, top schools of our country. They practice over 20 hours a week, do volunteer work and other high school programs. They are not by any means at a disadvantage.

 

[tomtnt]

all great points.... If I knew she didn't have a shot at college gym, I guess I wouldn't necessarily pull her out of gymnastics, but perhaps tone down the intensity... spend extra year at level 9 rather than try to get multiple years of 10 before freshman year of highschool... be able to take those long vacations again without worrying whether she'll fall behind.