The Importance of Grades

Here is a case of Player A vs. Player B: Player A and Player B just made the 2008-2009 ODP Winter Pools and both start on club teams that are extremely successful. Both players are left midfielders, around the same height and speed and have a similar style of play. Only Player A has a 3.5 GPA and Player B has a 2.7 GPA. Which player do you think a coach is going to choose?

Achieving good academic standing is the best way for a student-athlete to maximize his or her opportunities. Before athletic ability, before individual awards, the first thing a coach looks at is grades and test scores. If grades are going to be a liability then no matter what that player’s skill level is, he or she will not get the same chances as they would if they had higher grades.

Maintaining above average grades and test scores can do more than just open doors; they can position an athlete to receive additional money. A player who is eligible for academic scholarship money is much more lucrative to a NCAA Division I, Division II, or NAIA coach. For example, instead of athletic aid covering half of tuition, now academic aid can cover the other half. This also means a college coach could possibly have freed up athletic money which helps the whole program in general. Since NCAA Division III colleges cannot give athletic scholarships, most of the money student-athletes receive at these institutions is academic based.

Remember that education is your top priority as a high school and college student-athlete. Maintain excellent study habits and seek extra help if necessary. Make sure to take the ACT and SAT early and more than once, as the NCAA can combine your highest sub-scores. Lastly, the most important thing is get a copy of the 2007-08 NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete from your counselor. This guide includes directions on how to register with the NCAA Clearinghouse and lists the required core courses you must take if you plan to play college athletics.