What’s the most common collegiate playing goal college coaches here? Simple. We hear it every day. “I want to play DI.”
The allure of Division I athletics might be a misguided objective. And it’s got nothing to do with any institutions, the level of play, or what is or is not offered at any school.
It’s about value and being valued.
If you walk in the room and the coaches don’t remember your name, you’re not valued. If you can’t have a frank conversation about your role and your development, you’re not valued. If you don’t get the opportunity to meet people within the program other than your recruiting coach, you’re not valued.
What matters is not the division of competition that matters. In most sports, you’ll find lower division teams that can beat teams in higher divisions.
It’s not that division I is the only path to success. There are all-time greats who played at places like Yankton, Widener, Kutztown, Chadron State and Central Arkansas. And of course, there are all-time greats from all of the big dogs.
It’s not about being the savior for a misguided program. A program that desperately needs you may have very little to offer you as far as support, competition and growth.
Being valued is where it’s at. And make sure you understand the difference between needed and valued. If the program won’t win without you, you’re needed. If they want to win with you, you’re valued.
So, how do you know that you’re being value? The environment will tell you.
When you visit the school, do people in the program already know something about you? If they do, you’re probably valued. When you talk to the coaches, do they talk about more than just sports? If so, they’ve probably got a culture of value. When you talk to current players, do they talk about wholistic development? If they do, they’re in a culture where they are valued.
College sports are about more than just sports. They’re about growth. They’re about competition. They’re about value. If you want to be part of a program where you have a great experience, play where you are valued.
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