College coaches are looking for players to help their team win the next national championship. High school players are looking for coaches and teams that will enable them to contribute and have a rewarding experience. How far ahead should you plan to play college sports?

No time like the present
When should you start looking for sports scholarships? Now. No matter your age, now is the best time to plan if you hope to have an athletic scholarship in your future.

Getting a scholarship for any athlete is a challenging accomplishment. You must have that mix of talent, character, decent grades and test scores to be worthy of a college coach’s time to recruit you.

Know your options
The NCAA (ncaa.org) reports that there are nearly 400,000 college athletes. Add to that the many NAIA schools (naia.org) that offer some scholarships and some of America’s community colleges. Check out the National Junior College Athletic Association (njcaa.org). Some community colleges with programs aren’t listed under the NJCAA, so search by state. In some states, community colleges do offer athletically based financial aid.

Earning a sports scholarship usually begins when someone is young, shows talent and becomes dedicated to a sport. It is something that happens on a court, in a pool or on a field and must be coupled with classroom accomplishment.

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NextStepU Magazine and NextStepU.com help high school junior and senior students plan for their next steps in planning for college, careers and life. NextStepU is an easy, free resource for high school students, parents and school counselors that helps them find information about pursuing a career, joining the military, applying to and attending a community college or four-year college or university, finding financial aid and scholarships for college or university, finding a college match, and developing important life skills. We hope NextStepU helps you get to and through college, or whatever your next step may be!

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