My collegiate athletic experience was unconventional. Hesitant to continue track and field, I turned down an athletic scholarship. Missing the sport I’d known my whole athletic career, I walked on to the team my sophomore year of college. That first season was humbling, to say the least. I picked up throwing equipment for the first time ever. A former sprinter turned thrower. I failed, multiple times. Fast forward to my junior year- I was the outdoor conference champion and school record holder in shot put, and made my mark as a top 5 all-time performer in three throwing events. I was not a NCAA Division I, a Division II athlete, or even an athlete in the NCAA. But the opportunities, connections, and skills I gained along the way I will be forever grateful for.

In November, I had the opportunity to share my story and experience with prospective high school students at the 2024 LEAP Conference. These students were curious about what it takes to be a collegiate athlete and what pathways they can take to get there. The biggest point I wanted to get across was you don’t have to limit yourself to being an NCAA Division I athlete. Realistically, only a small percentage of college athletes go Division I. High school athletes can often take on the mindset that if they can’t go Division I, they can’t compete at all. I discussed the three associations- NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association), NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics), and NCAA (National College Athletic Association) in hopes to open some doors to these prospective students.

There are a few differences between the three associations, but all are going to provide great competition and experience. The NCAA, especially Division I and II, and even some of the NJCAA are going to have some of the top levels of competition in the world of collegiate sports. Students may also have more of a time commitment in terms of practices, workouts, and travel. NAIA, NCAA Division III, as well as some of the NJCAA, will certainly still have travel and time commitments, but may not be as intense as the NCAA or other areas of NJCAA. Scholarships and program funding can also vary between the associations and even between schools of the same association. This may be an important factor for prospective students, so I always encourage them to keep this in mind.

In addition to sharing pathways with students, I also wanted them to have an understanding of the time commitment that goes along with being a student-athlete. It may be easy for high school students to watch college sports and think that is all those athletes do. But in reality, they are still taking a full course load, while also workouts, practices, and competitions. When teams are on the road traveling, they are more than likely using that travel time to catch up on studying and homework. Study tables are also a way for students to be held accountable for staying on track with academics. These are typically mandatory and depending on the structure, can be with the whole team or with other student athletes.

Everyone’s experience as a collegiate athlete may be different, but I know I will be forever grateful for the opportunity to compete. Not only did I make some lifelong friends, but I also developed great skills and a work ethic that has helped me as I went on to the workforce. When speaking with prospective students who are on the fence about competing on the collegiate level, I always encourage them to continue and share some of my experience. Whether they go to a community college, a private college, or a state university across the country, it is an opportunity that will help them grow as an individual and provide opportunities they wouldn’t expect!