Excerpts

We were taken by surprise by our daughter's interest in playing at the
college level. Much of what is described in our Six Step Game Plan we
learned in a brief two-month period. My husband had a long-standing
knowledge of the game of basketball, but we had a lightening learning
curve on the college athletic application process. We believe we could
have done a more thorough job in navigating the process if we had been
able to begin a few years earlier. But, always keep in mind that some
student athletes are late bloomers and some don't make decisions early;
either way, this plan can work for you.

After completing the Six Step Game Plan, you may have several colleges
and/or universities seriously interested in your student athlete. He or she
may even be offered an academic scholarship at an NCAA or NJCAA
Division III school or an athletic scholarship at a NCAA, NJCAA Division I or
II schools or NAIA if for basketball.

Part of what you are looking for in this college sports search process is
matching the right kind of school academically with the right kind of
coaching personality, strategy and playing opportunity based on your
child's needs and temperament. It is hard, but not impossible and there
will have to be some flexibility on your child's part to achieve the chance
to play her sport at the college level.

This chapter consists of the nuts and bolts of the process we followed
which successfully helped our daughter land two offers with partial
academic scholarships and grants to Division III schools and one offer of
a non-scholarship position at a Division I school, in basketball. At a third
Division III major university, she was initially rejected but an athletic
department appeal gained her admission.

We will review how to: research colleges based on your child's criteria,
understand the college sports landscape including the requirements for
participation in NCAA sports, get in-depth information on college sports
through networking and, finally, how to match your child's interest in
playing a collegiate sport with their choice of colleges based on
academics. This process can be tedious yet informative and involves
personal conversations with your network of family, friends and coaches
as well as the rote completion of athletic applications. The student
application package has to be complete to be effective.