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The Choice is Yours
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By Jamie Uyeyama
It's an exciting time for a high school athlete. Choosing a school where they are going to spend the next 4 or 5 years of their life. They have put in the work to make it to the next level. Now they have to decide where exactly that next level is located.
It should be simple, right? You want play for a team with a successful program. Maybe you want to win a national championship. Maybe you want it to lead to a pro career. Maybe you are looking for early playing time. Wherever it is you decide to take your game to, you have your reasons for doing so.
But are they the right reasons?
When I went through the process of choosing a university, I only had one thing on my mind: Football. I went on my recruiting trip and I was so excited that a NCAA program was offering me a full scholarship that it never occurred to me to think of the big picture. My priorities had to do with the coaching staff and what position they wanted me to play. I never thought about what should have been important to me.
There are a lot of factors that I should have taken into account and several more questions I should have asked. Here are a few questions you should get answered before you make the next step to university.
1. What kind of programs does your school offer?
It?s easy for kids to make a decision based on an athletic program. What about the other programs the schools offer? Even if you are undecided on what your career path will be, it is nice to have options. If you?ve thought about majoring in Criminology, make sure the school offers that program. You need to consider the reputation of that program as well. What about the employment rate for people who have completed that program? Almost all athletes go pro in something different than the sport they competed in university so these are important questions to consider.
2. Where is the school located?
This is easy to forget about when you are focused on your future team. Sure, you probably have thought about all the games you will win over the next few years that you don?t think about the fact that you are going to live somewhere new. Is the school you are looking at in the middle of the city or the middle of nowhere? Some people are comfortable living in the country while others might go insane. You need to decide where you best fit and take this into account.
3. How close is it to your home?
Everyone is different. Some individuals have been waiting to get out on their own for a long time. Others are not quite ready to take on the responsibility of not having their parents to help them. You need to decide what will allow you to be the happiest. The more comfortable you are with your situation, the more successful you will be on the field and in the classroom.
There are so many other factors that can also be taken into account. What is most important for anyone though, is to choose a school that will be the best in all aspects of their future. Not only on the field or in school, but in life. If you work hard enough on and off the field, you will have plenty of options to choose from. The choice is yours to make. Choose wisely.
Any questions? Send me a message or email me at jamieuyeyama@gmail.com.
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