THE ALMIGHTY SCHOLARSHIP DOLLAR

by Cathi Aradi

A lot of smoke billows and swirls around the great and powerful Wizard of Scholarships. Yet behind the smoke-screen, behind the bells and whistles is an ordinary little piece of paper--and it's one that 50% of college softball players will never even see. Nonetheless, parents must understand the writing on that piece of paper and what it means for their athlete.

If your athlete is on an athletic scholarship at an NCAA school, certain things will be true. Scholarships are renewed each year. Technically, there is no such thing as a four-year or five-year guaranteed athletic scholarship. While it is true most coaches will honor their commitment--e.g., they will renew a player's scholarship each year as long as she's doing what they ask her to do---it does have to be renewed annually, and there is always the potential for it to be taken away.

When coaches are recruiting, some will tell you what you want to hear. Others tell it like it is, knowing you're going to hear what you want no matter what they say. In either case, the result is often a parent who insists his/her athlete has a guaranteed four-year scholarship. But keep in mind, athletes can lose that "guaranteed" scholarship. Here are some ways that might happen.

Colleges do occasionally drop a sports program. So if the player's school decides to drop softball when she's a sophomore, her family may have to pickup the tab from then on if she stays there. (Some schools that drop programs will honor scholarships or will try to find alternate funding, but many will just cut the kids loose.)

A school might be forced to cut back scholarships due to a revenue shortage, or they might take one scholarship from several well-funded sports to fund another sport that doesn't have any money. An athlete might get caught in this crunch; and even if she doesn't have her scholarship completely taken away, it might be reduced.

There are also a few clear cut reasons why a coach may revoke a scholarship. If an athlete consistently fails to meet the minimum academic requirements for eligibility, she may simply "flunk out," and lose her scholarship. Or if she has substance-abuse problems--e.g., drugs, alcohol--she runs the risk of having her scholarship taken away. Some coaches might cut a scholarship athlete if, in their opinion, she is a legitimate behavior problem--disrupts the team, doesn't follow rules, causes problems for other players.

While most coaches won't do it, it is still within a coach's rights to cut you or take your money away at the end of the year just because the coach feels he's recruited a better player to replace you. At schools that don't give scholarships, players can be replaced without any explanation, and it occasionally happens at colleges that do give scholarships. Most coaches try their best to recruit players honestly and fairly, and most coaches do everything they can to honor their commitments to their athletes. But if a coach recruits you expecting a certain level of performance and doesn't feel you've lived up to his or her expectations, you may lose your scholarship or have it reduced.

The NCAA requires schools to renew or cancel scholarships by a certain date each year--generally by July 1. Athletes must be notified and sent the appropriate paperwork. Most coaches will have conferences with their athletes at the end of the season, and if the scholarship isn’t going to be renewed for some reason, the coach should let you know right away.

When you are being recruited, you and your parents need to listen carefully to what a coach is telling you, and you should read the "fine print" carefully. Ask detailed questions about your scholarship--e.g., how and when it's renewed each year; under what conditions it could be taken away; how often does the coach cut scholarship athletes; what happens if you're injured and can't play; and so on.

I also often hear college coaches complaining about the fact that while some schools can offer certain athletes the opportunity to have a "fifth" year at the school, not all schools can. And even those colleges that can may handle this fifth year in different ways. Some may keep the scholarship intact; others may reduce it. Many schools will expect the athlete to work in some capacity--for example as a student assistant or by helping out in the Athletic Department. But remember, not all schools can afford to offer you a fifth year, so don't assume it will be part of your scholarship, and don’t think coach is being "cheap" if that extra year isn’t offered.

You also need to understand the difference between a scholarship offer and a financial aid package. Parents will often tell other parents their player got a "full ride" when actually she’s getting very little softball money. The aid package might cover nearly all the player’s expenses, but technically, it can’t be considered a "full ride" softball scholarship. In this situation, the softball coach might offer her only $2000 in softball-based aid; the rest might come from other grants, academic scholarships, loans, work-study, and so on.

When this player gets her National Letter of Intent to sign, it will reflect only the softball money--in this case $2000; the balance of her school costs--let's say $8000---will be reflected on her financial aid offer which she wouldn't receive until spring in most cases. One big advantage of receiving an "aid" package--instead of or in addition to a scholarship--is that even if you stop playing ball, are cut from the team, or lose your softball scholarship for some reason, you should still be able keep the non-athletic funding and stay in school!

When you are in the midst of recruiting, and particularly if you are being heavily pursued, it's easy to get caught up in the excitement and glamour of the moment. But pay close attention to details. Make sure when you choose a school, it's because it's the right one for you and can meet all of your collegiate needs. Don't be blinded by dollar signs. And if you do accept a scholarship, be sure you know all the conditions attached and the circumstances that might cause these conditions to change. That way you won’t be in for any surprises!

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Softball Recruiting Web Source

For more information on giving your athlete the competitive edge during her college search, consult my book, Preparing to Play Softball at the Collegiate Level, available from the Natl Fastpitch Coaches Assoc. at 573-875-3033 or online at www.nfca.org .