For kids who want to attend a great school and also play a sport, I would appreciate hearing from any students or parents in terms of the impact on the student when he/she stops playing, e.g. after one year. How does it impact the student socially/psychologically to no longer be on the team? On the positive side, the student may have gotten into a great academic school in part due to being recruited and the school itself probably is still be a great fit assuming they made the school choice based on academics. Just wondering whether – if the student-athlete is cut or otherwise finds himself/herself not good enough to see any game action, thus quits – it ends up being a worse experience for the student than if he/she went to, say, a smaller school where he/she could shine more athletically and play all four years. (I guess injuries would apply to all schools, though the impact of any injury could be more devastating to the career of someone at a top D1 program vs. a D3, but let’s assume no major injuries). I suppose trying to play and it not working out is better than not trying at all and wondering what might have been, as playing college sports can be a great experience. But what if one has the academics to potentially get into a top Division 1 school (such as an Ivy) and also a top LAC (say one of the more selective NESCAC schools or other great LAC). I say potentially because admissions is not a sure thing at some schools even for recruited athletes, especially in the NESCAC. Would going to a smaller school – assuming also excellent academically – be a better fit because the likelihood of having a great experience in the sport also would be increased?
My son went through D1 recruiting last year and in the end decided to not go to,school as an athlete. One thing that he talked about is that all the members of the team tend to live together and you typically make living arrangements before winter break for the following year. He spoke with several kids that found themselves living with athletes after they decided to not be on the team their second year and that was NOT fun. We have a family friend who has an IVy athlete who doesn’t get any “playing time” and really doesn’t enjoy the sport any more but because of the time commitment of the sport he hasn’t really made friends outside the team. He is staying with the team because of that. But it is a huge commitment when he could be doing something he likes more and might help him with his career. Something to think about.
My daughter had one teammate decide not to play this year but who did return to the school. Daughter was supposed to be this girl’s roommate last year (freshmen) but because of a housing assignment error, this girl was the only one not with other teammates (the other freshmen shared 2 suites). I don’t think that had anything to do with her not returning, but more the fact that she wasn’t a superstar, didn’t get a lot of playing time (she did get some) while 6 of the other 9 freshmen were getting a lot of playing time (new team, so freshmen were the experienced players). This girl knew in the spring that she wasn’t returning to the team, so had time to find other places to live. Sophomores are supposed to live on campus, but many don’t. Another teammate, who is now a junior and did have a lot of playing time last year, was kicked off the team this fall for behavior reasons (she’s kind of crazy). I think she is living off campus with other players. I think socially she already had problems so not having the team makes it very hard.
I do know someone who got in at Georgetown as a recruited athlete and immediately quit the team. She stayed at the school. I doubt it had any affect on her academic or social life.
My daughter is a core member of her team, but she has other social outlets too. She’s in a sorority, she lives with other athletes from a different sport this year, she has a boyfriend, she is in engineering and most of the team is not. She doesn’t depend on her team for everything, and she’s much happier this year not living with teammates. Last year it was too much of the same people 24/7.
For the athlete that quits, there is really not much of a downside, since he/she will stay in school and continue to receive financial but not athletic aid. However, the name of the HS coach who vouched for the recruit is pretty much mud and future candidates from that HS program will be viewed skeptically. For example, one top NESCAC got burned by offering a slot in football to a player that quit the first year from my S’s HS. Now, any candidate from the HS is viewed skeptically and has a major uphill struggle.
Sunny,
It is very hard to evaluate in a vacuum whether a D3 program will provide more stability than a D1 program, during or after sports. Plenty of folks get cut from D3 programs, and I would not make the assumption that an injury would be more problematic for a D1 over a D3 program. If an injury is devastating, it likely would be devastating for both levels of play. The NESCAC level of play is quite high. The best option is to go watch a game, and see for yourself how that compares with a D1 program.
Personally, I am a NESCAC fan, but that doesn’t mean that the league is for eveyone. The bottom line is that an athlete is most likely to succeed where the fit is correct, and most likely to get through quitting or cutting where the fit is good. Go visit the schools and try to determine which is most engaging. Assess how the athlete would like the school if there was no team. Usually, the school with the best fit rises to the top.