Frequently Asked Questions
Student Athlete
I want to play my sport in college. What do I need to do?
“Choose the school, not the team” is advice that we strongly support. It is easy to be dazzled by an exciting sports program or a “great” coach. However, remember the ultimate reason that you are attending college is for the academic programs. Why academics?? Consider what remains if a career-ending injury occurs, the “great” coach leaves, or the exciting team is a bad fit. Academic programs remain constant. A good strategy for student-athletes is to consider the sport as just one aspect in their college search.
One of the most important factors in assessing the student’s college athletic options is to honestly evaluate his skills and interests. Athletes who overrate their abilities may be set up for disappointment. The coach of the O’Dea team or the select team coach may be able to help determine which division best reflects the student’s abilities.
Athletes who are considering Division I or II schools must fulfill all of the NCAA requirements by the time of graduation from O’Dea. The NCAA requires that athletes have completed a core curriculum of 16 core courses with a minimum grade point average (GPA) and a minimum SAT or ACT score. Athletes who do not meet these requirements may not be eligible to compete. There are many other NCAA regulations that are also involved in the recruiting process. These rules apply to both the student-athlete and to the colleges. It is imperative that the student and his family become knowledgeable about these rules as any transgression may jeopardize the student’s participation on the college team. All of this information is available on the NCAA Eligibility Center website (https://web1.ncaa.org/eligibilitycenter/common ). You should print a copy of the Guide for the College Bound Student-Athlete, which is located on the NCAA website. It will give you specific information about the minimum high school academic requirements and the regulations that you must follow during the recruiting process.