By Eireni Scott ‘28
College athletics is a dream for many kids who grow up playing competitive sports. After dedicating so much time to their sport in high school, competitive athletes often find life as a NARP (Non-Athletic Regular Person) extremely dull, giving many the motivation to further their athletic career in college. While watching these college sports and seeing young athletes succeed in the sport they love is exciting, the process of getting there isn’t necessarily smooth. Whatever sport you play, the recruiting process can be very grueling.
Senior Norah Oppenheim, who committed to play volleyball at Dickinson earlier this year, shared lots of insight on her recruiting process.
“It was frustrating trying to figure out what I wanted so early,” she said. ” Starting freshman year, I was asked by club coaches what I wanted in a college.”
This pressure was overwhelming for her and many other young athletes who were not ready to start the college process so early. Just like that, the recruiting process became something Oppenheim would be dealing with for the next four years.
The process consists of three major steps: receiving interest emails and calls, narrowing down the list of schools, and going on visits.
Prospects start to receive interest emails early. According to Oppenheim, this consisted of “mail and packets with information for myself and my parents, talking about what made their program different and why I should go there.”
The next step is to decide which of these schools they’re interested in athletically as well as academically. Oppenheim researched aspects of these schools that were important to her, like their “social life, studying abroad, arts minor programs, sustainability, and the athletic tone of the school.”
Dickinson checked all of her boxes. Finally, athletes go on unofficial and official visits in order to make a final decision. “Recruiting is full of surprises,” Oppenheim said. “Sometimes you love a school on paper and hate it in person.” She said that her only official college tour was of Dickinson, where she “got to see the school as a prospective student and then afterwards get personal tours of the athletic facilities.”
Oppenheim’s tip for any St. Andrew’s students who are interested in playing college sports is to never be discouraged. “It does not define you if one school says you aren’t good enough for them,” said Oppenheim. “There are thousands of other schools out there that would love you!”
Ultimately, the recruiting process is about finding a college that is the right fit for you. It is a grueling process, but for many student athletes leads to a satisfying outcome that is completely worth the time and effort. Next time you are watching college sports, take a moment to appreciate the hard work it took for those athletes to get there. Whether it is D1, D2, or D3, college athletics is commendable at any level.
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