Hello. I am currently a freshman in a California High School. For the last few days, I have been facing a problem, something which I think may affect my future and my college (application). I am in Speech & Debate through the process of a tryout (only 10 people including me made it out of the many who attempted) and from the schedule my coach gave me, all my Saturdays for the rest of the 2015 year are booked, no exceptions. On the other hand I am on my High School’s Water Polo team, which also has Saturday tournaments. I also play for a club, but if i pursue High School Water Polo, it will be against CIF rules for me to play in club at the same time. However, I can join back during off season. The problem I am having is with the schedules, and attending one and not attending the other one may run the risk of me getting kicked from the one I didn’t attend. Where I need help is deciding which one I should pursue in order to help me achieve a bigger and brighter future and will also look very good on my college application. Thank you for your time.
Choose the one that you know you enjoy the most. Right now that is what matters. If you don’t enjoy your extracurricular activities, there is no point in doing them. Both choices are fine.
How long have you played club Water Polo?
1 year, I’m in a 14u team and will move up to 16u next year
Will you be good enough to play collegiate varsity?
Hard question, I know.
With 8 hours of practice a week, I believe I can get there.
If your club team won’t take up your Saturdays, can’t you stick with water polo in that venue and give up the high school team? That way you can keep some water polo while still doing speech and debate, assuming you really enjoy it and plan to stick with it throughout high school. I’m not sure how colleges value sports, but I am sure that they look extremely favorably at speech and debate.
Talk to your club water polo coach for an assessment about your future potential as a recruit.
Neither Speech & Debate or water polo is inherently ‘better’ for college applications. Do the one you enjoy the most and are most likely to excel at. If you want to be a recruited athlete, have the potential and are willing to live that kind of college life, then fine - that’s a reason to do water polo. But it’s a long shot to predict that from where you are now. (A delayed growth spurt for example could put you way behind team-mates, resulting in less playing time, etc…)
Back to the first point: Do want you most enjoy. And neither of the ECs will make any difference if your grades suffer, so that’s the first priority.