Well, as luck would have it, some of the best academic opportunties are indeed at these smaller schools! Exhibit A - Centre.

 

True, about Centre, but that's not always the case.

 

Furthermore, as I've advised both of my kids, choose the college that you like the best, think you will feel the most comfortable at, and allows you to best position yourself for your graduate school hopes or working career, and do not allow the possibility of playing sports to enter into the decision to the extent possible. If they end up not like playing college sports or heaven forbid, they get hurt to the degree they can't continue to play sports, they won't want to be at a college they otherwise wouldn't have chosen. That was/is the advice I've given my kids. Others may feel differently and that's okay too.

 

But I've seen way too many kids pick a school almost totally because they thought they could play sports there; then quit playing sports voluntarily or involuntarily; be miserable and not do well academically; flunk out or transfer to another school and have to start over somewhere else, sometimes with credits not transferring, thus prolonging the college tenure (which some kids may not think is so bad. )

 

Obviously if playing sports at a college is the only way a kid could be able to attend college, the above advise doesn't mean squat. But if athletic dollars aren't driving the decision, my thinking is that the possibility of participating in sports shouldn't be a factor in college selection unless the student is one that needs athletics for the discipline needed to cut the academics.

 

Again, that's just the way I look at things and the advise I've given my sons.

True, about Centre, but that's not always the case.

 

Furthermore, as I've advised both of my kids, choose the college that you like the best, think you will feel the most comfortable at, and allows you to best position yourself for your graduate school hopes or working career, and do not allow the possibility of playing sports to enter into the decision to the extent possible. If they end up not like playing college sports or heaven forbid, they get hurt to the degree they can't continue to play sports, they won't want to be at a college they otherwise wouldn't have chosen. That was/is the advice I've given my kids. Others may feel differently and that's okay too.

 

But I've seen way too many kids pick a school almost totally because they thought they could play sports there; then quit playing sports voluntarily or involuntarily; be miserable and not do well academically; flunk out or transfer to another school and have to start over somewhere else, sometimes with credits not transferring, thus prolonging the college tenure (which some kids may not think is so bad. )

 

Obviously if playing sports at a college is the only way a kid could be able to attend college, the above advise doesn't mean squat. But if athletic dollars aren't driving the decision, my thinking is that the possibility of participating in sports shouldn't be a factor in college selection unless the student is one that needs athletics for the discipline needed to cut the academics.

 

Again, that's just the way I look at things and the advise I've given my sons.

 

True, but I've also seen way too many kids that choose their college based solely on where their friends are going or how exciting the school's football/basketball team is to root for. Sometimes biggest is not always the best. My son decided a while back that any college smaller than his own high school (1700 kids) must be a joke and not worth considering. Where he got this notion I have no earthly idea, but you start eliminating all the colleges that have 2000 or less students are you are cutting out some very, very fine academic institutions. We were able to bring him slowly around to at least consider a few, but Centre was the only one to whom he gave serious consideration. The sports aspect means very little to me - he could have played a lot of (smaller) places, but it didn't seem to be all that important to him, so it stopped being a factor in the decision-making process for us. What did become important to him was the housing at UL (they have a couple "dorms" that are ridiculously nice), teaming up with a bunch of his high school buddies, and rooting for the basketball team. Trying to convince a 17-18 year old that those are some pretty pathetic reasons on which to base your college choice was tougher than I expected it to be. :sssh:

All of this information is great to have considering the situation with my son. Thanks guys! Keep it coming.

Does you son have any aspirations of coaching at either the college level or higher? If so, playing college football at whatever level means a lot in that profession.

Here's a real life example of a person who made that choice. Eddie Eviston played at NCC then at Georgetown (NAIA). He starred, winning multiple titles and awards, and graduated. Following school he got an NFL look, played professionally in arena and Europe. Now he works and coaches at his high school alma mater, making considerably less salary than his public school counterparts. If that is fulfilling to him, then he made the right decision. He can only guess where he'd be if he chose differently.

True, but I've also seen way too many kids that choose their college based solely on where their friends are going or how exciting the school's football/basketball team is to root for. Sometimes biggest is not always the best. My son decided a while back that any college smaller than his own high school (1700 kids) must be a joke and not worth considering. Where he got this notion I have no earthly idea, but you start eliminating all the colleges that have 2000 or less students are you are cutting out some very, very fine academic institutions. We were able to bring him slowly around to at least consider a few, but Centre was the only one to whom he gave serious consideration. The sports aspect means very little to me - he could have played a lot of (smaller) places, but it didn't seem to be all that important to him, so it stopped being a factor in the decision-making process for us. What did become important to him was the housing at UL (they have a couple "dorms" that are ridiculously nice), teaming up with a bunch of his high school buddies, and rooting for the basketball team. Trying to convince a 17-18 year old that those are some pretty pathetic reasons on which to base your college choice was tougher than I expected it to be. :sssh:

 

Your points are also very valid. Going where the buddies are going is not necessarily the best way to pick your college. Good luck on getting the boy to see the right reasons to choose the right college. :isurrender:

True, but I've also seen way too many kids that choose their college based solely on where their friends are going or how exciting the school's football/basketball team is to root for. Sometimes biggest is not always the best. My son decided a while back that any college smaller than his own high school (1700 kids) must be a joke and not worth considering. Where he got this notion I have no earthly idea, but you start eliminating all the colleges that have 2000 or less students are you are cutting out some very, very fine academic institutions. We were able to bring him slowly around to at least consider a few, but Centre was the only one to whom he gave serious consideration. The sports aspect means very little to me - he could have played a lot of (smaller) places, but it didn't seem to be all that important to him, so it stopped being a factor in the decision-making process for us. What did become important to him was the housing at UL (they have a couple "dorms" that are ridiculously nice), teaming up with a bunch of his high school buddies, and rooting for the basketball team. Trying to convince a 17-18 year old that those are some pretty pathetic reasons on which to base your college choice was tougher than I expected it to be. :sssh:

 

 

That is the same thoughts my son has expressed about school size. He wants to be in large classes.

 

He also had several nice packages offered from the 2 D3 schools mentioned and some of the states NAIA schools as well. But since he wants to be an engineer, that obviously eliminated all but two schools. Unless he wanted to be part of a "Dual Degree Program."

 

My daughter who graduated from Notre Dame Academy only wanted to go to a small school. Centre and Transy offered very nice packages and the opportunity to play basketball. She had several full-ride and near full rides from all the large schools in state, plus Xavier, for academics. In the end, she decided on Bellarmine, who gave her a near full ride for everything and walked on the basketball team. After open gyms she was awarded an athletic scholarship to pick up the rest of the costs. She has completely enjoyed it thus far.

Here's a real life example of a person who made that choice. Eddie Eviston played at NCC then at Georgetown (NAIA). He starred, winning multiple titles and awards, and graduated. Following school he got an NFL look, played professionally in arena and Europe. Now he works and coaches at his high school alma mater, making considerably less salary than his public school counterparts. If that is fulfilling to him, then he made the right decision. He can only guess where he'd be if he chose differently.

 

If you're insinuating what I think you are, then this thread has wandered way off from where I intended it to go. :ohbrother:

Centre College, According to Forbes rating 2009, 14th Best College in United States, thats all colleges and universities not small colleges. West Point #1, Princeton #2

My biggest regret was not playing in college, though it would have had to be small college ball. If someone truly loves the game I would strongly encourage them to play, even if it is at the smallest level of college football. But it's got to be love though I'd imagine, not a strong like.

It true I am but I have learn that trying to get this point through to those who are not for it can lead to problems on these boards.

 

I will keep doing what I do behind the scenes and read this thread to try and learn new thoughts.

Keep doing it, it's a great thing to help student/athletes get to the right school.

 

But, I would love to hear your perspective on the thread at hand, I think many would benefit from hearing what you have to say on the matter.

I really do not have a lot to say on this being a medical reason kept me from playing football in school. As a fan of high school football I have met several players and watched a lot of them not get a chance to play at the next level(d-1) and many of those that I have got a chance to later in left wish they would have and many of them saying they should have taken the opportunity to do so at a smaller school.

 

I have watched a lot of players play at the smaller college level and they all play with that same passion they had in high school and in listening to them talk they pretty much say after understanding that they are no longer the hometown hero they were in high school they learn to love the team they are on and eventually get that same feeling they had around their teammates on and off of the field for the most part.

 

The players that I find myself having the most respect for seem to be the ones who go far from home to play for a small college program and find themself on the 2nd or 3rd team. Those are the players that have that love for the game that same love that I have as a fan.

 

There is a group of players I met while they were sophomores in college and a couple of them did get to play college ball but two of them did not. One had the chance to play at Denison University and a few other smaller colleges the other made some big time mistakes in life and is back in prison. The player who had a chance to play and did not still regrets it to this day and he is out of college now. The other guy said his trouble all began when he got kick off of the high school team. He might have been the best of the four players.

 

I guess I had more to say then I first thought.

 

My advice to each plaer out there that has the chance to play at any level in college seriously think how much they love the game and not the quirks that come from it by playing on Friday nights. I think most of you, the players will understand that for those who don't what I am trying to say is you have to love the game and the game only as far as playing at a small college because you will not (most of you)be that hometown hero and you will not have those close to you telling you how great you are.

See, don't you feel better NCF? Good stuff.

Does you son have any aspirations of coaching at either the college level or higher? If so, playing college football at whatever level means a lot in that profession.

 

The dream for the kid would be to have an opportunity to play football at any level and return to his hometown HS to teach & coach football. Unfortunately, there may not be any opportunities. The schools are not beating our door down. His HS is not a great recruiting hub. Never has been and never will be.

 

We discuss his options daily. All he talks about is football (I don't know where he gets that:D). I believe he could play at the next level and most importantly, he believes it. He may end up in a walk on situation, which could be best for him because he would have to concentrate more on a school's academic opportunities and not only a football offer.

I really do not have a lot to say on this being a medical reason kept me from playing football in school. As a fan of high school football I have met several players and watched a lot of them not get a chance to play at the next level(d-1) and many of those that I have got a chance to later in left wish they would have and many of them saying they should have taken the opportunity to do so at a smaller school.

 

I have watched a lot of players play at the smaller college level and they all play with that same passion they had in high school and in listening to them talk they pretty much say after understanding that they are no longer the hometown hero they were in high school they learn to love the team they are on and eventually get that same feeling they had around their teammates on and off of the field for the most part.

 

The players that I find myself having the most respect for seem to be the ones who go far from home to play for a small college program and find themself on the 2nd or 3rd team. Those are the players that have that love for the game that same love that I have as a fan.

 

There is a group of players I met while they were sophomores in college and a couple of them did get to play college ball but two of them did not. One had the chance to play at Denison University and a few other smaller colleges the other made some big time mistakes in life and is back in prison. The player who had a chance to play and did not still regrets it to this day and he is out of college now. The other guy said his trouble all began when he got kick off of the high school team. He might have been the best of the four players.

 

I guess I had more to say then I first thought.

 

My advice to each plaer out there that has the chance to play at any level in college seriously think how much they love the game and not the quirks that come from it by playing on Friday nights. I think most of you, the players will understand that for those who don't what I am trying to say is you have to love the game and the game only as far as playing at a small college because you will not (most of you)be that hometown hero and you will not have those close to you telling you how great you are.

 

Nice post NCF. As to the bolded, spot on. At times I think, unfortunately, it's the parents (usually the father ) pushing the kid to play college sports so the parent can continue to live vicariously through his/her son or daughter. When you look at the amount of sports kids now play, starting at a very young age (did I read correctly in the General Discussion forum that some youth baseball team schedules 85 games a year?), its not to hard to comprehend why some kids don't want to play competitive sports in college. Actually I think that has a lot to do with it. Perhaps for the first time since they were 7 or 8 years old, they don't have some coach telling them where they have to be and when in their time outside the classroom, can actually have an actual summer vacation to relax, recharge and earn some spending money, and can enjoy not being under the critical eye of a parent telling them they need to do this better or that different.

The dream for the kid would be to have an opportunity to play football at any level and return to his hometown HS to teach & coach football. Unfortunately, there may not be any opportunities. The schools are not beating our door down. His HS is not a great recruiting hub. Never has been and never will be.

 

We discuss his options daily. All he talks about is football (I don't know where he gets that:D). I believe he could play at the next level and most importantly, he believes it. He may end up in a walk on situation, which could be best for him because he would have to concentrate more on a school's academic opportunities and not only a football offer.

Have you all be active in recruiting him yourselves? If not, you need to. PM if you want. I may have some information for you.