As a freshman, you may be thinking that you don’t need to worry about getting ready for college. You just got to high school and college seems a long way off. But you’d be wrong! To be a college athlete (any sport), you have to be aware of the requirements and rules established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The NCAA is the organization that determines whether or not you are “eligible” (qualified) to play at many colleges so if you ignore them, you may end up not being able to play even if you have the skills. If you decide not to play at an NCAA school, you still need to know the rules for admission and eligibility for the schools that interest you. As a freshman, you should work hard to be eligible at high level (Division I) schools. You never know what will happen in the next 4 years!
What do you have to do while you are in high school to be eligible to play baseball in college (up to a DI level)?
1. Take all the right core classes.
2. Get good grades.
3. Take the required tests.
4. Graduate on time.
5. Don’t take money or any gifts for playing your sport.
6. Register with the NCAA so they can let coaches know that you are academically eligible to play.
Easy, right? Sort of… Some players are confused about the classes they have to take, and some players have to work harder than others to get good grades and test scores. But you know all about hard work, you’re an athlete!
How to Stay Eligible as a Freshman
Even as a freshman, you need to care about the NCAA requirements because some of the classes need to be taken your freshman year. Get started by going to the Eligibility website by clicking here. You’ll also want to see your guidance counselor because he or she can help you choose the right classes. Don’t guess which classes to take! The NCAA has a list of approved classes and those are the only ones that count toward your eligibility. The list of courses at your school are available on the NCAA website. Don’t use a list from another school and assume that the classes will be ok. You might need some help getting the list of approved classes at your school. Ask your parents or guidance counselor for help. If you get behind or get bad grades, you should take summer school to catch up. Your grades do matter! Sure, you might get into the college of your dreams with so-so grades, but you might not! Many college players told us that their grades made a huge difference in their opportunities to play college baseball. Click here for more information about improving your grades.
