Scholarships for Youth Trackers

Youth trackers have a chance at earning scholarship at the next level.

The world of college sports can provide substantial rewards for dedicated student-athletes. Track and field teams across the country provide millions of dollars in scholarship awards and financial aid each year. Running at the college level takes hard work and dedication, not to mention carrying a full course load and balancing family and friends. However, for the rewards of a partial or full scholarship, the sacrifice can be worth the extra effort.

Tracker Basics

When college coaches look for potential runners, especially for some of the nation's larger universities, there are distance runners for cross country and shorter sprinters for track and field. Coaches usually recruit runners for both programs but differentiate playing positions based on skill set. Youth trackers will find a variety of options available not only in NCAA Division I but in lower divisions like NCAA Division II and III, as well as junior college and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics.

Academics First

When recruiting a roster full of talented runners, a coach's biggest advantage will come from his ability to attract quality students to the program. Scholarship money typically comes first out of the university's general fund, and student-athletes who earn university scholarship money don't count against the NCAA limit. Therefore, it is a general rule that trackers with grade point averages of 3.5 or higher will always appeal to college coaches.

Earning More

Trackers who have high grade point averages will have the potential to earn their whole education through a college scholarship. After the academic money is doled out, a college coach might pick up the balance with athletic scholarship money. Although scholarships are one-year renewable offers, coaches are mandated to renew these awards unless there are egregious team infractions committed by the student athlete.

Playing Opportunities

There are a wealth of playing opportunities and scholarship options available for youth trackers. Schools exist outside of the premier track and field institutes in the Big Ten and Atlantic Coast Conferences. NCAA Division II has very competitive track programs along with scholarship dollars. Junior college schools and NAIA teams can take chances on players with lesser academic credentials because of the need for talent in their programs.

References

• Scholarships.com; Track and Field Scholarships
• "The New York Times"; Expectations Lose to Reality of Sports Scholarships; Bill Pennington; March 2008