College sports in America

Ryan Homstol says the main goal of Canadian hockey players is to get a scholarship to a Division I college in the United States. Despite playing up to 80 games a year in Canadian Junior Hockey, Homstol says Canadian players still desire the chance to play big-time college hockey across the border.
Homstol, a native of Tisdale, Saskatchewan, achieved that goal by playing four years for the University of Minnesota-Duluth (UMD), a National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I hockey school that competes in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). While playing Division I hockey was just about everything Homstol expected it to be, he knows that each individual situation is different.
For example, while UMD is Division I in hockey, the school competes at the Division II level in every other sport. “I think everybody dreams of playing in the limelight at a big-time school, but they don’t always do what is best for their individual situation,” says Homstol, a marketing major and three-time WCHA All-Academic selection who is expecting to play professionally for the Idaho Steelheads of the West Coast Hockey League in Boise, Idaho, this year. “Some people who don’t have the talent to play Division I end up sitting on the bench their entire career just so they can say they played at the top level of college hockey. Sometimes it’s worth going to a smaller school to be able to play.”
In hockey, there are only two divisions: I and III. While Division I offers full athletic scholarships, Division III does not offer any athletic scholarships. That is another important factor to consider, Homstol says. “If a kid can get a scholarship, they’re usually not going to pass it up,” he says. “But for those who don’t have that opportunity, it doesn’t mean they can’t play. A lot of the Division II schools offer good competition, and the Division III schools are top-notch academically and offer the chance for a good career after the playing days are over. The hard part is getting 18- or 19-year-old kids to realize that.” What often happens then is that students get over their heads and enrol in colleges for the wrong reasons.
In the United States, there are three major levels of competition at the NCAA level: Division I, Division II and Division III. Here is a look at each level.

Division I
This is the top level of competition in United States college athletics. Full athletic scholarships are given at these schools, which include the largest state universities and colleges in the country, as well as some private institutions.
Division I coaches recruit athletes who are usually among the top high school athletes in their state, province or region. Competition is intense, as many students who have always been the superstars now find themselves competing against athletes with similar talents. Travel is extensive, and flying to competitions or long bus rides are normal.

Division II
While athletic scholarships are given at the Division II level, many schools divide up the scholarship money available for each program. For example, instead of one or two women basketball players getting full scholarships, the money is split among the entire team. This is often called a partial-ride scholarship. The top level of Division II is a small step below the lowest level of Division I competition. Many Division II athletes get scholarship offers from smaller Division I schools but choose to play Division II for various reasons, such as academics, proximity to home and the chance to play as freshmen. Competition is usually regional, and transportation usually includes long bus rides.

Division III
No athletic scholarships are offered in Division III athletics. Many Division III schools are private institutions better known for academics than athletics, and many Division III athletes are offered academic grants that help replace scholarships and offset the high cost of private institutions.
While many Division III athletes could play at a higher level, this level also gives students who are good athletes, but maybe not the cream of the crop, a chance to play after high school. Competition usually takes place within the state of the school or in a bordering state. “The key is to find somewhere you fit in,” says Homstol. “Take a visit and see how you fit in with the team, what the campus is like, what your academic choices are, what the coaches are like, things like that. Don’t base your decision on what your friends want or what is popular among classmates.” For the superstar athletes pampered by Division I schools, it can seem like a fairytale come true. But most aspiring college athletes have to initiate contact with college coaches to get noticed. If you’re not being recruited, it doesn’t mean you don’t have the talent to play college sports. You just have to dig to find a place that fits your academic and athletic abilities. With decreasing budgets, cuts in staff and an often short recruiting period, American coaches are not able to see many talented players, especially those in different countries.
“It’s easy for the nation’s best athletes to get noticed—the cream of the crop can almost pick their colleges,” says Rick Kimmel, editor of PrepStar Magazine, which is affiliated with Collegiate Sports of America, Inc., the nation’s oldest college recruiting organization.
Kimmel talked extensively with former Florida quarterback Jesse Palmer, who is a native of Nepean, Ontario, while he was in high school about the recruiting process. Palmer, who was drafted by the New York Giants in the 2001 NFL draft, went to St. Pius X High School and played for the Myers Riders, a club team, instead of his high school team. Palmer was named the Canadian football player of the year in 1996 and his father, Bill, was a former CFL star with the Ottawa Rough Riders. For Palmer, getting noticed wasn’t a problem. Every major collegiate football power wanted him. But he is the exception to the rule. “Common sense should tell you to go with a curriculum and program that fits your needs academically and athletically,” Kimmel adds.
“Not everyone has the ability and talent of a guy like Palmer, and everybody isn’t going to be recognized nationally. But by narrowing your choices to schools that fit you athletically and academically, you will be able to make the right decision.” That’s what Homstol did. After playing two years of hockey for the Melfort Mustangs, a Canadian Junior A hockey team in Saskatchewan, he narrowed his choices to UMD and Western Michigan in Kalamazoo, Mich. Homstol decided on UMD because it fit his academic needs, and the Bulldogs competed in one of the top college-hockey conferences in the nation. “If there is one piece of advice I could give to high school students, it would be to really look at all of your options, not just the level of competition,” Homstol says. But regardless of the level of competition, it’s important to remember that college athletics is about more than the glitz and glamour of sell-out crowds, national audiences and SportsCenter highlights, Homstol says. While those at big-time schools are sometimes recognized for their hard work, softball players at a Division III school in Iowa work just as hard, study just as much and deal with the same busy schedules as any other athlete.
“It’s a challenge juggling classes regardless of where you play,” Homstol says. “The coaches are good about making sure you are up to date on your school work, and most teachers understand that sometimes you might miss class. But sometimes it’s hard when it’s noon and your friends are done for the day, you have to go to practice and they get the rest of the day to study or do other things.” There is a level for every aspiring college athlete. The key to a successful career depends on finding a match academically, athletically and socially. “It’s really important to talk to counsellors, coaches and players to get a feel at each school,” Homstol says. “The more you know before you go, the less you’ll have to worry about when you get there. That can make a world of difference when making a final decision.” ***
Check out these Web sites for more information: www.ccaa.ca/: Web site of the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association, commonly known as the CCAA. The CCAA is the national governing body for men's and women's college sport in Canada. It’s comprised of 94 members from five provincial associations. www.ncaa.org: Official Web site of the National Collegiate Athletic Association www.ncaa.org/eligibility/cbsa/clearinghouse.html : The 2001-2002 guide for the college-bound NCAA student athlete www.athletesboundforcollege.com: Offers free newsletter for high school students who want an inside look at the recruiting process *** According to www.thesportsource.com, prospective college athletes need to consider the three P’s when considering choosing a college: 
BE PROACTIVE. Take a proactive approach to gathering information beginning your sophomore year of high school. This should involve a system for evaluating and prioritising choices and a constant evaluation of personal and academic goals.
PERSONAL INTERESTS to the programs that interest you. 
BE PREPARED. Prepare to meet the academic and sport-eligibility requirements.

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