| Today female athletes are "in." It has not | | | | Myth #3--If you want a sports scholarship, you must |
| always been that way. A generation ago most girls | | | | have the talent to play at a Division I school. False! |
| and women were called "tomboys" if | | | | Over 180,000 athletic scholarships are available each |
| they wanted to participate in sports, especially team | | | | year in all sports (many of them divided so that a |
| sports with physical contact. But now it is | | | | single soccer scholarship, for instance, might be given |
| commonplace for girls to play catch with their fathers | | | | as partial scholarships to three or four players). Not all |
| while their mothers are off playing soccer or | | | | of these scholarships are from Division I schools. |
| softball...or ice hockey. As little girls grow into women | | | | Many student-athletes think about Division I programs |
| encouraged to be physically active, their | | | | when they think about playing collegiate athletics |
| self-confidence and skills grow and they find | | | | because of their high visibility. They see them on |
| increased opportunities to use their athletic talents. | | | | television and read about them in the newspaper. But |
| One way that today's female athletes benefit is by | | | | while Division I programs draw the most attention, |
| playing sports in college and by getting scholarships to | | | | there are several thousand other colleges with |
| help pay for the exorbitant costs of a college | | | | competitive sports programs that offer college |
| education. | | | | scholarships to help pay student-athletes’ |
| According to the book "How To Win A Sports | | | | expenses. Savvy young women look at a variety of |
| Scholarship," by Penny Hastings and Todd | | | | college programs, not just Division I, when |
| Caven, nearly 167,000 females played collegiate | | | | investigating options. |
| sports in the 2005-06 school year. Many of them | | | | Myth #4--There are few sports scholarships available |
| were on full or partial scholarships. | | | | for women. False! |
| Unfortunately, certain myths surround college athletic | | | | Scholarships, as well as other intercollegiate sports |
| scholarships and often prevent talented female | | | | opportunities for women, have increased dramatically |
| athletes from taking advantage of the possibilities | | | | and will continue to do so. According to Mary Jo |
| available to them. Let’s debunk these myths | | | | Kane, director of the Tucker Center for Research on |
| one by one. | | | | Girls and Women in Sports, at University of |
| Myth #1--You have to be a superstar to win a sports | | | | Minnesota, “Title IX (Federal legislation |
| scholarship. False! | | | | mandating equal opportunity for males and females) |
| Only 1% of the nation’s high school or | | | | fundamentally changed the landscape of sports, |
| community college student-athletes are superstar or | | | | because without it, we wouldn’t be where we |
| “blue-chip” athletes. These elite athletes | | | | are. In one generation we have gone from young |
| have no problem catching the eye of college coaches. | | | | girls hoping there is a team to young girls hoping they |
| In fact, their biggest dilemma might be a constantly | | | | can make the team.” |
| clamoring telephone or overflowing e-mail inbox! | | | | Sports scholarships are awarded to women in 24 |
| Clearly, if these blue-chippers were the only athletes | | | | college sports from archery to field hockey, lacrosse |
| recruited, colleges could not fill their rosters or field a | | | | to soccer, rowing to water polo. Sports called |
| team. So, what happens to the other 99%? Some | | | | “emerging sports” by the National |
| make up the teams of colleges around the country, | | | | Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), offer |
| but others do not even try because they think only | | | | additional opportunities to females. These sports are |
| superstars get the breaks. | | | | so new to intercollegiate competition that even |
| Myth #2--College coaches will automatically hear | | | | young women who have little or no proficiency in |
| about you if you are good enough. False! | | | | one of these sports find that their athletic |
| The truth is that college coaches will probably never | | | | backgrounds can sometimes get them recruited by |
| hear about you unless you bring yourself to their | | | | college coaches trying to fill their rosters. Archery, |
| attention. No matter how good you are on your high | | | | badminton, bowling, equestrian, rugby, squash, |
| school or club swim, tennis, basketball or lacrosse | | | | synchronized swimming and team handball are all |
| team, only college coaches within your geographical | | | | emerging sports. |
| area will ordinarily know about you. There are | | | | Laying to rest the sports myths is an important step |
| thousands of female athletes across the country | | | | for young women interested in playing collegiate |
| who excel. But shrinking athletic budgets at all but the | | | | sports. But it is not enough. You cannot afford to sit |
| largest, most competitive schools prohibit coaches | | | | back and wait to be recruited. It is up to you to |
| from scouring the countryside looking for players so | | | | market yourself—to grab the attention of |
| many talented student-athletes are overlooked in the | | | | college coaches and cause them to begin recruiting |
| recruiting process. | | | | you. |