Everybody Wants to Be A D-1 Athlete, Here’s How to Make it Happen

Kids dreaming about playing Division I sports spend most of their time thinking about their game. They worry about getting stronger and faster, and about putting together a highlight reel that will attract the attention of a college coach. But there’s more to becoming a Division I athlete than what happens on the field or court.

I’ve been a college professor for over a decade, and I’ve had more than a few high-level student-athletes in my classes. As I taught them philosophy of race and Black popular culture, they put me on game about what it really takes to be a student-athlete at the D1 level. In all my conversations with these elite basketball, football, and baseball players, here are the top three things they’ve repeatedly said they wish they had known before they stepped foot on campus.

Grades Matter More Than You Think

Someone can be the fastest on the field, the best scorer on the court, or the person with a highlight reel everybody is sharing online. But none of that matters if they are not academically eligible.

Hear me on this. The NCAA requires Division I athletes to complete 16 NCAA-approved core courses and earn at least a 2.3 GPA in those courses. Many student-athletes think they’ll be fine once they make it to college, but that assumption has set many up for failure. The academic preparation a student gets in high school can determine how well they handle college-level work later. If a kid is struggling to keep up with their classes now, college won’t be any easier. If you have the ear of a talented high schooler who wants to go to the next level, tell them to start preparing for the student part of student-athlete now.

Be Honest About Your Level

Time for some hard truths. People need to be realistic.

Everybody and their mama wants to play football at Ohio State or basketball at UNC, but not every player is ready for that level. Players need to research schools, look at their rosters, and be honest about where they would realistically fit.

Also, pro tip: don’t sleep on junior colleges. A JUCO can give an athlete who is not ready for the big stage an opportunity to develop their game, get stronger academically, and put themselves in a position to transfer to a four-year school. Cam Newton went from Blinn College to Auburn and won the Heisman Trophy and a national championship. Jimmy Butler went from Tyler Junior College to Marquette and is now in the NBA. There is nothing wrong with taking a different route to the same destination.

Understand That the College Sports Game Has Changed

A star high school athlete today is preparing for a college sports world that looks nothing like the one their parents remember. In just the last few years, Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) deals have gone from something most athletes had never heard of to a major part of college sports. NIL allows athletes to make money from their name, image, and likeness through endorsements, social media promotions, appearances and other business opportunities. To make it plain, student-athletes are not players on a team; they are now a brand.

Now is the time for high-level high school athletes to start learning the business of college sports. Studying the basics of NIL, contracts, and how endorsement deals work is a good look. I know that all sounds boring, but they still need to do it.

Ultimately it is important for athletes to understand that a highlight reel might get them attention. But grades, business sense and a little common sense are what is needed to make it at the next level.