WHAT TO DO AFTER I COMMIT.
“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” – Robert Collier
Making a final selection on a school can be a much-needed sigh of relief after what is almost always a long journey. For most families and athletes, that journey was full of twists and turns. But settling on that final, Right Fit is always a satisfying conclusion to most of the process. Congrats on getting there!
Below is advice from those who came before you who went through the journey just like you did. As it turns out, there are some further steps to make sure you are staying on that correct path even though you may have committed (or even signed a Letter of Intent) by this point.
SHOW PROFESSIONAL COURTESY
Your first priority after committing is to contact all other coaches who recruited you and be gracious for their time and attention. Do this before you ever post on social media, before you tell anyone at all outside of your immediate family what your future college plans are. Let the other college coaches know your plans and wish them well in their upcoming seasons.
There are a few reasons for this: One, it shows maturity and professionalism. Two, you never know if you might need that person down the road. Coaches move around A LOT. You may need that contact again if you decide to transfer schools or something else changes. Leave everyone with a good impression of you, even if it is a coach at a school that you did not seriously consider.
MAINTAIN GRADES
This is probably the most important part of this list. Committing or signing does not give you a free pass to let-up on your academics. Colleges are still going to want your final senior transcripts to make sure you are a good fit for them. It is very important to understand that college acceptances are conditional: They are conditional on you fulfilling your responsibilities in the classroom as you end your senior, high-school academic campaign.
MENTAL AND PHSYICAL TRAINING
Summer is a really easy time to let your guard down. Once you are free of the burdens of daily, high-school life, it is easy to coast through three important months of your college athletic career: The months leading into your freshman season, especially if you are a Fall athlete. Use the summer to get yourself mentally and physically prepared for what is coming.
Remember that college is not going to simply tax you athletically. For many students and athletes this is the first time you have ever been away from home for an extended period. There will certainly be an adjustment period for you as you transition into this new role and new lifestyle.
It is never too early to start planning for what you think you may need to take with you. Start a list of items in your phone and add to it as you think of more.
GET A WORKOUT PROGRAM FROM YOUR NEW COACHES
From a physical standpoint, Summer for some is also an easy time to overtrain yourself. Most college coaches are excellent about having a summer routine they want incoming freshmen to follow. But, in the chance that they have not provided this to you, contact your new coaches no later than May of your senior year so you can ask them if there is a summer training program they would like you to follow.
CONTACT YOUR NEW ADVISOR RIGHT AWAY
You will be assigned a college advisor. Use this person early and often. If you have not yet been assigned a counselor, feel free to reach out to the school and ask questions.
Make sure you are getting classes set up. Your coaches may also recommend certain course-loads per semester based on when your season falls. Ask them about this and then speak to the advisor immediately so you are not having to adjust your academic schedule at the last minute or miss out on certain classes because you were slow in the process.
GET YOUR HOUSING FINALIZED
This is one of the biggest areas of advice from former student-athletes who were in your shoes. You may be housed with other athletes, or simply housed with freshmen students. Whatever the case, contact your coaches and new college counselor / advisor and make sure this is finalized as early in the process as possible.
CONSIDER: WORK-STUDY PROGRAMS
The federal government awards work-study to help students pay for college. Unlike grants and loans, the federal work-study program pays students for hourly work at various campus and off-campus jobs. Unlike student loans, work-study funds do not require repayment.
Students can use their paychecks from work-study jobs to pay for tuition, housing, and other college expenses. Unlike a traditional part-time job, work-study income does not affect other financial aid awards. Since the funds come partially from the federal government, some campus employers may prefer to hire work-study students.
Your counselor (and hopefully your coach too) can point you in the right direction on this topic for your particular university.
START MAKING CONTACT WITH OTHER ATHLETES
Here is a place where social media is your new best friend. Almost everyone your age has a social media presence. Start contacting other players on the team and introducing yourself to them, tell them you can’t wait to meet up and start working together.
HAVE A PLAN AND ENJOY THE PROCESS!
