10 Reasons to Take Your Sport to the Collegiate Level

1. Exercise

We all know the common saying the freshman fifteen. College means food is available 24/7. Oftentimes it’s paid for in advance, so the buffet style dining experience makes it easy to overeat. But pursuing a club or varsity sport means you’ll continue getting as much if not more exercise than you did in high school. Chances are, you’ll be part of the 30% of college students that do not gain weight in college.

2. Camaraderie

Entering college can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially when it comes to making friends. But when you’ve committed to compete for a college team, you’ve probably already been on a recruiting trip, and for fall sports, and you have to do preseason training before classes start. Walking onto the college campus with instant friends is an amazing benefit.

3. Scholarships

College can be huge financial burden for many families, especially those with kids that are close in age to one another. Competing for a NCAA level team can earn you a good amount of scholarship money, and when it comes to college tuition, every little bit counts.

4. Competition

At the high school level, competition can be hard to find. Often, people who have never done a sport before decide to start in high school. Therefore, many athletes do not get the push they need. However, in college, the teams are extremely selective. Teams compete among their division so meets and games are closer in score. College sports can push you to a level you never thought you could reach.

5. Discipline

As a freshman in college, it can be difficult to find the right balance. It is likely your first time living on your own and distractions are at an all time high. With swim practice daily or twice a day, it is harder to find time for studying and homework. Instead of the laid-back “I have all day to do that so I’ll do it later” attitude, student athletes are more likely to get their work done beforehand–keeping in mind the busy day they have ahead of them.

6. Athlete’s Benefits

If a coach wants you for their team, you’ll have more of a chance to gain admission to that school. Students with the ability to compete for a college team have an advantage over applicants with a similar transcript who lack the athletic aspect. Use sports to your advantage so you can get into your reach schools.

7. Personalized Training

In college programs, training is more focused on your abilities rather than an entire group’s. You are an adult now, so you are able to tailor your training so that it is the most beneficial to you. This opportunity is scarce among high school and club teams that have a tendency to address athletes as full groups.

8. Training Trips

Over holiday break, many college-level teams use the time off from classes to their advantage, taking the entire team to a vacation spot. These week-long trips require difficult training, but the vacation aspect is not entirely disregarded. Many teams do the most bonding this time of year.

9. Team Apparel

The only thing better than the pride that comes with being a college athlete, is being able to show off that you’re a college athlete. Team apparel is a great way to support your school and the best part is–many colleges give their teams free apparel.

10. Because you can

It is rare to have the talent and experience to compete at the varsity level in college–so why not?