I was recently sent a copy of the book, “How to Win a Sports Scholarship”, 3rd Edition, by Penny Hastings and Todd Caven.  This book discusses in detail the issues surrounding athletic scholarships for college athletes.  Whether you are a good athlete who isn’t sure whether you have the skill to win a sports scholarship, or a top athlete already being recruited to play college sports, this book should be read.How To Win A Sports Scholarship

So why is this a great book for the potential college athlete? The authors take you step by step through the process of evaluating your potential as an athlete and then discuss  how to start the process of contacting and finding the best colleges for your needs and how to improve your chances of getting an athletic scholarship.

Here are the titles of a few of the chapters.

Chapter 2: You Don’t Have to be a Superstar

Chapter 3: All About Athletic Scholarships

Chapter 8: Build Your Sports Resume Kit

Chapter 10: What to Do When a Coach is Interested

The authors include some great advice that is often lacking in the discussion of athletic scholarships and that is to look at the graduation rate for athletes at the colleges you are considering.  Playing sports in college has all sorts of advantages but if you don’t graduate, much of your education is wasted. And, unfortunately, at many colleges, the graduation rates are dismal, particularly for college athletes.

The book also has a number of quotes from current and former college athletes who discuss their experiences related to college athletics.  The book also has quotes from many college coaches discussing some of their opinions of how prospective future college athletes can improve their chances for an athletic scholarship.

In addition to the text, the authors provide several helpful charts including a sports resume worksheet that future college athlete can use to compile the information that coaches are looking for.

At the end of the book, there is a list of Resources including guides to college academics, college athletics and scholarships.

While the book has wonderful advice for the future college athlete, it doesn’t really discuss the potential problems that can be associated with a college athletic scholarship.  For example, while the authors discuss to some extent the time commitment of college sports, they don’t really emphasize how that huge commitment is a major factor in the problem of athletes not graduating on time, or at all.

Another concern with college athletic scholarships not really discussed is the issue of what happens if the athlete is injured, or decides not to continue playing the sport.  The authors do mention that if an athlete is injured that the scholarship is not taken away. The do not make it clear, however, that athletic scholarships are given for only one year at a time and while this years scholarship might continue after an injury, there would not be future scholarships if you can’t play your sport.

The authors website, How to Win a Sport Scholarship, lists the titles of all 14 chapters in the book and even allows you to download Chapter One for free.

Overall, if you are thinking about playing a sport in college, you should think seriously about reading this book. If you want to purchase the book you can do so directly through the authors website at How To Win A Sports Scholarship.

If you would like help finding the best college for you or your student, I offer a FREE 1/2 hour consultation to discuss your needs for college admissions counseling. Give me a call now at 952-449-5245 or drop me an email.