The Value of Sports Scholarships

Youth sports can be a great way for young athletes to stay in shape, make new friends and stay out of trouble. However, when considering kids’ future potential, sports can also be an avenue toward a valuable college scholarship.

As the price of college tuition continues to rise by the year, it is becoming harder to land these coveted student-athlete scholarships. Yet when attained, they can be the difference for some young students between going to a top state school and a local community college.

Coaches can teach young athletes about the value of a sports scholarship at an early age. The discussion can take place at practice or after a game. It can be done over the phone or in a living room with parents. However, sports team websites may also serve as an effective way to get the message across.

Duke star made sacrifices to reach the top

Laken Tomlinson, an All-American guard for the Duke Blue Devils football team, chose to get up early in his high school days in Chicago so he could go to Lane Tech College Prep instead of nearby Roger C. Sullivan High, Sports Illustrated reported.

“I’d rather go to a good school far away than a poor school that wasn’t going to get me prepared for life,” Tomlinson told the publication.

By working hard and preparing himself for the next level, Tomlinson has given himself a chance at making it to the NFL. Meanwhile, he’s been able to study medicine at Duke, one of the top academic institutions in the country.

High schooler thrives on the field and in the classroom

It took some time for Sayvon Sampson, a senior wide receiver at St. Pauls High in North Carolina, to understand why his parents wanted him to do so much on the side. He was a part of the National Honor Society, the Student Government Association and the Native American Student Association, among others. While he hasn’t always had much free time during the school year, he’s nonetheless prepared himself to be a student-athlete in college, according to The Robesonian.

“[My parents have] always preached to me my whole life to do my best with everything I do and it will help me out,” Sampson told the news source. “For colleges, they always say that it looks better the more you’re involved in. So, I have been trying to do everything i can to look as good as I can for schools.”