CHOOSING A COLLEGE

Being recruited by schools is one of the most exciting times for an athlete. It feels really good to have programs fighting over you and it validates that the hours of work put in were worth it.

The process is also very stressful. Each coach is going to pitch the best parts of the school and what they think is going to draw a player to their program. Some have money to give, a great business school or a rich history of winning. Visits are designed to make players feel like kings of the campus. So when the player goes to make a decision, he or she can be blinded by the smokescreen. 

Making a decision has several factors that should be considered. Parents should be heavily involved with the decision making process as well to give an outside perspective.

Always start with the goal

I feel like a broken record with this but it’s the start. The end goal drives decisions. This way the plan stays on course and players don’t end up in a bad situation. Be honest with yourself on this. What is the goal of going to college? It could be that you want to get into the best academic school possible. In this case, it is the academics you want to focus on. If you have a shot at playing beyond school, the quality of hockey is a bigger priority. 

My goal was to use sports as a way to get into a great school. I would have never have gotten into Boston University on grades alone. Hockey gave me an edge to get into a great school. Playing afterward didn’t work out, but I set myself up in a network that has paid dividends in my life after school.

Playing style and opportunity

You are making a decision to play a sport. Keyword there is “play”. Coaches are tasked with recruiting the best players and fill a depth chart. Knowing where you sit on that depth chart coming is then opportunity you have. Coming into a team that has a majority of upper-class players than it might take a few years to crack the lineup – are you ok with waiting it out or challenging for the position. Make sure you know what you are walking into and if that is something you can accept.

The most important is playing style. You need to fit the style of play. If you are a skill guy but the team grinds, you will have a hard time playing – even if you are the best player skill-wise. All things equal, if you match the coaches playing style you can close the gap or extend the gap between you and the other players on the team. 

Experience 

Do you want to play in front of a packed house? Play for championships? Be the big-ticket on campus or one of the other programs? The bigger the spotlight, the more work and time you have to dedicate to the sport. Maybe the decision is to play sports during the season but in the offseason enjoy the college life. Be clear on what the experience is that you want. Those early morning 5 mile runs, two-a-days and battle practices are going to be hard to get through if that is not what you want.

If sports went away, would this be a place I would want to be?

This is the deciding question to ask yourself. Without playing, would you stay? If the answer is no, that school is off the list. I know players who went to Alaska in order to play Division 1 college hockey and ended up getting hurt and were in a bad spot because the location of the school did not fit without sports.

Choosing a college is an important decision. Consult with your parents, coaches, and players who have gone through the process. This post will give you a head start on how to approach the decision-making process. However, there are more factors that need to be considered such as financials, academics, location and many more. Above all else, enjoy the process. Very few athletes get this opportunity. Take advantage of the attention.