<p>This is a great article on athletics at Middlebury specifically, but I think (hope) it gives some indication of what life is like in Division III.
<a href=“http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20130421/SPORTS01/304210015/At-Middlebury-College-culture-excellence?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s&nclick_check=1[/url]”>http://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/article/20130421/SPORTS01/304210015/At-Middlebury-College-culture-excellence?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s&nclick_check=1</a></p>
<p>Great link and so true, thanks, Urban</p>
<p>Here’s a link about football recruiting at Stanford, a Div. 1 school which also stresses academic commitment in their student athletes:
[Y</a>! SPORTS](<a href=“David Shaw building Stanford into a perennial power with unconventional recruiting mandate”>David Shaw building Stanford into a perennial power with unconventional recruiting mandate)</p>
<p>D is a DIII lax player who just finished first-year/season. Midway throught the season she was talking about calling it quits after this season, but I believe she has changed her mind and will play all four years (minus junior year abroad where she may play for the UK club team of whichever school she chooses there).</p>
<p>Great link GFG.</p>
<p>idahomom: she swam the 100/200 free and the free relays. </p>
<p>It was a terrific week–fun for the kids and for the spectators. There was a cheer that all of the NESCAC girls did together (I gather it is traditional) before the last night of the championships to show NESCAC solidarity. Given the constraints on practices that NESCAC self-imposes compared to some other DIII teams I was impressed as to how well the Conference did.</p>
<p>My D was happy to swim when she started college but now she can’t wait for next year to start–the team has become a focal point for her time outside of the classroom–I can’t say enough good things about the team and the coaches. </p>
<p>The kids give back too-- for example almost all of the kids teach swimming to the local youngsters every Saturday morning–imagine college kids getting out of bed and coming to the pool before 9 on Saturday–to volunteer teach. That blows me away, I have to say.</p>
<p>I am so happy she chose DIII.</p>
<p>etondad,</p>
<p>Congrats. Although my son doesn’t attend a NESCAC school I’m very fond of the way they do things! That is good stuff.</p>
<p>Still D1 just received her lettermen’s jacket (midwestern throw back thing) </p>
<p>but when you wear one people know in sports crazed midwest.</p>
<p>I think the main problem here is that our young adults are going on to play sports in college for all the wrong reasons, and making their college choices based on factors that are not important to them. Parental pressure, peer pressure and coach pressure can contribute to making the wrong choice. You can almost pick those who will stick with it based on observation.</p>
<p>I agree with that; all the college sports recruiters we talk to say “apply to a college based on whether you would still want to go there if you couldn’t play sports any more”.</p>
<p>The wrong choice is only an issue if you get hung up on getting four years in at the same school. The worst situation is to pursue a school that is too tough, but you managed to get into because of sports, and you flunk out.</p>
<p>My son is a sophomore, so we are just started getting serious, and he has several different levels of schools. Two should be easy for him academically, he might even get into their honors colleges, but one of those is a top program for his sport so he thinks it wouldn’t work out. Three are academic stretches, but need good players in his sport (had been as high as top 25 in the country, but more like top 100 now). He hasn’t buckled down as much in HS due to various reasons, so he thinks he could do better in college. Plus the fewer hours of classes would be beter for him.</p>
<p>At his local club, many go to college sports and several transferred after a year or two. It seemed that the campus life was not a good enough match, even one who was a starter on a top 25 team was miserable due to the campus environment.</p>
<p>Not sure if it’s too late to revive this thread or not… But it’s an interesting one and would appreciate hearing any additional updates and/or new experiences along these lines.</p>
<p>@SoylentGreen - I think it’s a good time to revive the thread, so I’ll chime in. DS has graduated (Physics/Princeton) after competing (fencing) all four years. DD is a rising senior (Biology/Duke) and has been elected team captain for the upcoming season.</p>
<p>There has been VERY little athlete attrition on either of their teams. Likewise for other kids we know that have gone on to compete in college. Almost all the student athletes we know (and that’s a large number!) have chosen colleges that are good academic and athletic fits.</p>
<p>S graduated (economics/princeton) after competing four years. He has continued competing as a professional. </p>
<p>Over four years, the team lost a single freshman and two seniors to attrition. His choice (not the parents who initially favored another school) was a wise one - great coach, great friends, great academic fit. Every single graduating senior found great jobs (the overwhelming number found those jobs by the middle of senior year).</p>
<p>All who wanted internships also were able to find those (in the years before the senior year).</p>
<p>This has been a very good thread for those in recruiting process and those currently competing in college. It has been a thread I’ve followed since the beginning, and shared some private messages with some of the folks. While many experiences are different there are many common denominators…such as the stability of high academic athletics. I find it incredibly satisfying to see others (stemit, sherpa, varska, etc…) have a fantastic experience with athletics and high academic schools. Congrats to everyone. Maybe the NCAA could learn something from these schools, and the people in this thread.</p>
<p>Son graduated in May with engineering degree from Cornell, and had accepted his job offer mid-year He interned at his employer for two summers near our home. He played his sport all four years. He had 8 original recruits in his 2014 class. 2 left the team after freshmen year and one transferred in sophomore year from his class. Son is finding “civilian life” different and doesn’t know what to do with all his extra time…looking for a hobby. He’s studying for his PE, but still lots of time outside working 45-50 hours. .He’s headed to Europe in a few months to start a new project.</p>
<p>I’m onto my next project…youngest son is a high school senior.</p>
<p>Add us who have had a great experience competing in D3 sports in a high academic environment. S1 competed one year and got a job in the lab in his field so he had to choose the job. He is now in a top graduate school and participates in his sport with a diverse group of people at the university and it is very much part of his life. S2 plans to compete all four years in his sport and has given up other activities to make the time to do it. His team environment last year was exceptional and I think that is key. Do your homework and visit often so you know if the school and team are right for you.</p>
<p>Son graduated from UC Davis with a degree in Econ, he has turned professional in his sport, which was his plan all along, the degree is a bonus. Only 3 guys came in the year he did and 1 left due to pre-med demands and a death in family, the other is still there as a 5th year senior. Overall, great experience. My son is now a volunteer assistant coach there so he can train and live there as it is a better location. </p>
<p>D graduated from her D1 program with a very tight year group. Attrition over the years was minimal, her class went from 9 to 7 early freshman year. The three subsequent year groups lost 2 to health issues and one other (the only one to leave the school). One per year.</p>
<p>Of the 7 grads, six have jobs or grad school, 1 has an internship. My D received a job offer in April and started work in June, and has been granted significant budget responsibilities already. She is continuing to work out almost every day!</p>
<p>We are very pleased with the four years and the outcome.</p>