College Tennis: Myths versus Realities

As I continue my work with student-athletes and their parents who are beginning the athletic recruitment process, I find that the greatest obstacle they face is obtaining accurate, informed, and honest information about the various components of collegiate athletics. Even families who are exceedingly organized and methodical when it comes to successfully navigating junior tennis have misconceptions and incorrect information.

I thought it would be helpful – and interesting – to discuss a few of the most common myths relating to college athletic admissions and recruiting. Here are two that I frequently encounter in my role as a private college athletic consultant: 1) matriculation eligibility rules, and 2) home schooling as it relates to recruiting.

Myth 1: Matriculation Eligibity Rules

This is probably the issue where I find the most misinformation and the greatest inaccuracies. While the vast majority of junior tennis players will never go on to play professional tennis, many hope to “buy a few years” and try pro tennis for a while – deferring the decision about attending college.

These players, armed with rankings and results that are capable of attracting the attention of college coaches, have spent years training and dedicating themselves to tennis. They want to take advantage of NCAA rules that allow them to retain their amateur status while playing professional events and not accepting prize money.

This approach sounds like a logical plan, one that provides a win-win in terms of life choices. However, the NCAA rule regarding delayed matriculation to college is quite restrictive.

The NCAA rule states that the student-athlete is expected to complete high school according to the “prescribed educational path in his or her country”. The student-athlete then has one additional year in which he or she must enroll to retain four seasons of eligibility.

In other words, in this country, once you start high school, you are expected to finish in four years and enroll in college within a year after that – period. A student who does not enroll at a collegiate institution after that one year period will lose a season of intercollegiate tennis eligibility. And, after that one-year period, if the student-athlete has engaged in organized tennis (e.g., tournament tennis), the student-athlete must attend school for a year before being eligible to compete.

So there are definite scenarios where kids can defer college, but make sure you understand the price of enrolling after the deadline.

Myth 2: Home Schooling

Home schooling has firmly positioned itself as a legitimate educational option. There are an estimated 1.5 million home schooled students in the U.S. Given the travel time required to obtain a high USTA national or ITF ranking, it is no surprise that many junior tennis players and their families make the decision to follow this route.

Travel translates to school days missed. Independent study, flexible scheduling, and online classes – the hallmarks of home schooling – can make tennis travel more manageable.

However, when it comes time for college recruiting, I frequently see home-schooled junior tennis players who are both surprised and disappointed to discover that their academic records are insufficient or incomplete.

Home-schooled student-athletes typically don’t have access to the traditional sources of college guidance available at public and private schools, and that lack of guidance can lead to future eligibility issues. This unpleasant scenario can and should be avoided by exercising careful advance planning, obtaining accurate information about academic requirements and NCAA rules, and consulting with a college counseling professional or a college athletic consultant.

Start with the NCAA Eligibility Center – the NCAA department that certifies student-athletes who want to participate in Division I and II athletics. The Eligibility Center has specific guidelines for home-schooled students. Anyone interested in home schooling or other nontraditional high school programs (e.g., online, correspondence, private tutoring, etc.) should familiarize themselves with this information very early on in the process.
And, if you’re aiming for the top academic schools like the Ivies, keep in mind that the minimum NCAA academic requirements will not be sufficient. Premier institutions will expect your academic credentials to be very close to those of the regular applicants. Home-schooled applicants without a conventional high school transcript may find that their standardized test scores (SAT I, SAT II, and AP exams) take on more meaning than they might be for other applicants.

Home schooling and other forms of independent study are attractive options for junior tennis players. But if you’re interested in playing college tennis, make sure to plan ahead and understand the academic guidelines!

The college tennis recruiting process is time consuming, nuanced, and complex, but it is well worth the effort. There’s nothing like being able to continue playing the sport you love in college – and possibly receiving a tennis scholarship, too!

Stay informed. And, if you have questions about the process and need help along the way interpreting the rules and regulations, seek the advice of a qualified college counselor or consultant – preferably one that specializes in athletic recruiting.