Baseball Scholarships - 5 Mistakes to Avoid
The competition for baseball scholarships in college is tough. There are 11.7 NCAA Division I scholarships per school. NCAA DII only has 9 and NAIA schools have 12. The most scholarships available are at NJCAA or junior colleges who have 24 scholarships. The NCAA and NAIA classify baseball as an equivalency sport which means the scholarships can be divided into partials and awarded out to more players than scholarship numbers. Meaning if you are awards a DI 50% or .5 partial scholarship, the coach has 11.2 more to award.
You will face a lot of competition for a baseball scholarship and it is important that you treat recruiting serious and like a job. Those who do are rewarded. Here are some of the most common mistakes see athletes make year after year.
1. Not believing in your talent. As hard as it is to believe I see many high school baseball players that should be playing in college but do not think they are good enough. Sometimes recruiting comes down to who wants it more once athletes reach a certain talent level.
2. Giving up during the recruiting process. Getting a scholarship is hard work. Many times athletes who are used to success are not prepared for the brutal nature of earning a scholarship. Those who can press forwards after being turned down by school after school are the ones who win in the end.
3. Choosing the wrong summer team. Playing in summer leagues has almost become a necessity. College coaches are not able to recruit during the season because they overlap. The summer is the main recruiting season for baseball. Don't choose a league with you friends, choose a team that will maximize your exposure.
4. Neglecting your academics. This is something that is preventable and should never happen. By just getting over a 3.0 GPA you make it 100 times easier for a college to accept you academically and recruit you. If you are behind on your grades, make every effort today to turn them around.
5. Not being flexible. We are talking about being able to touch your toes here. College coaches want athletes who can play multiple positions. If you want the scholarship be willing to play and be able to play around the field.
Remember, these are just 5 critical mistakes I have seen and continue to see every year. Start your recruiting process early to get a baseball scholarship and treat it like a job.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/2324968
No comments:
Post a Comment