Why Travel Teams Are Essential for Athletic Scholarships
High school is the time in an athlete’s career when they are supposed to develop as a player and to grow as a competitor; from here, athletes will learn if they want to continue to play at the college level or not. For most athletes, the route to college sports competition begins as a little tyke in junior leagues and continues to move up through the levels of recreational leagues, finally making it to high school competition.
A growing trend we have seen more recently is high school athletes not being able to play their high school sport because it is not offered in their school. As unfortunate as this is, these athletes are now forced to seek out athletics elsewhere if they plan to make it at the collegiate level.
By not having the opportunity to compete in high school sports, athletes will be missing out on valuable experience, competition, and development. If the athlete is serious about wanting to make it at the college level, they will need to seek out opportunities elsewhere in order to gain the competitiveness necessary.
It is Crucial to Find a Competitive Sports Outlet if You Plan to Play College Sports
Athletes who do not have the skills and experience needed to compete will be at a greater disadvantage when it is time to be recruited for college athletics. College coaches are not looking for athletes who have some experience in the sport, they are looking for seasoned competitors with experience against top-level competition.
You Need to Find a Club or Travel Team
Club and travel teams are excellent ways to gain experience along with gaining college exposure. Most competitive athletes who have goals of making it to NCAA Division I or Division II level are already involved in travel leagues, along with competing on their high school team. Some serious competitors take part in club teams in lieu of their high school team due to the commitment needed to compete at such a competitive level.
Finding the Right Team is up to You
There are many competitive travel teams who claim to be the best bet for athletes who want to go on to the college level, which is why it’s important to do the research and to make sure a team is going to be worth it. Athletes and their families need to start looking for teams which will offer everything they are looking for: tournament play, competitive competition, college coach exposure, and assistance getting recruited. The Internet is a great way to do background research on teams to find out what they will offer athletes. Student athletes without high school teams to fall back on need to start researching early in order to be in contact with the coaching staff and to learn about tryouts and player expectations; even though a team requires players to pay to play, it doesn’t always mean they will include everyone. Having tryouts is a good indication that the team is serious about being the best.
If you have more questions about finding a competitive travel or club team, then leave a comment below or connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, or Google+!