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C h a p t e r 2
Managing a Soccer Programs
FINANCIAL AID
Financing a college education is a considerable undertaking, and often determines a
student-athlete’s choice of colleges. Few athletes receive full athletic scholarships, and
many colleges offer no athletic scholarships. Financial aid usually is available to student-athletes
who demonstrate financial need. Make sure that your athletes obtain the
appropriate financial aid applications, and meet the application deadlines. Encourage
them to investigate other scholarships based on academic, ethnic, or cultural criteria.
COLLEGE SOCCER FOR THE NONSCHOLARSHIP ATHLETE
The percentage of college athletes, at all levels, that receive athletic scholarships is quite
small. And most of those athletes who do receive scholarships receive only partial funding.
At NCAA Division III level, which accounts for the largest number of colleges,
there are no athletic scholarships awarded at all. The fact is that most college Soccer
players do not receive athletic scholarships.
High school coaches should make their athletes aware of this fact. Many young players
are ignorant of the realities of collegiate athletics, mistakenly believing that a full college
athletic scholarship awaits them. Only the very best players nationally and statewide
can hope to receive such scholarships. For those who are recruited and offered
athletic scholarships, the great majority will receive only partial funding. Last, those
who receive athletic scholarships often mistakenly believe that their scholarships are
guaranteed for their entire college career. You have the responsibility of helping your
athletes think realistically about the facts of college athletics.
Because so few high school players are offered college scholarships, many high school
players believe they are not good enough to play college Soccer if they have not been
recruited. This is just not true. Although the very best college Soccer programs do
heavily recruit almost all of their players, there are plentiful opportunities for athletes
to play college Soccer even if they have not been heavily recruited. Most good high
school players can find a college program suited to their abilities. If you have a player
who really wants to continue playing Soccer, you should help identify college programs
suited to him or her.
An expressed interest in playing college Soccer also can help your student-athletes gain
admission to academically competitive schools. Extra-curricular participation is usually
an important consideration at these schools. Moreover, college coaches often have
some influence in the admission process. Although athletes may not be in the run-
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