Greetings
I know from reading many posts that some of you have swam in college. I am the parent of an age group swimmer who has his sights set on a college scholarship. I was a sportsmed guy in a a Div 1 school in college and all of us worked many long hours and traveled a great deal to earn our way through. The athletes worked very hard of course and really paid in time for the funds they received in the form of books and tuition. I would rather pay for his schooling and see him study rather than swim. I do not want to steal his dreams though as a result of my cynical view of the system. Have any of you swam in college and what was your experience? Do you view it as a worthy goal or would you have done it differently? Any coaches out there with insight? All advice welcome. This is a great forum!
Many Thanks
Spudfin
I agree with Jeff, if you can go to a program like Texas (where my brother swam 81-84), they treat all the athletes excellent and make sure you excel academically (orthopedic surgeon now).
Another brother swam for Berkeley (?81-83) and was treated like crap because he was not the best. I think he bailed on his senior year to concentrate on academics (he became a high falutin' orthopedic surgeon).
I swam for a mediocre team (BYU) and would not have traded anything for the lessons learned and the level of discipline achieved in combining academics and college level swimming (although it is hard to give your best to both). It was great to get an education and to travel the world (to such exotic places as Las Cruces, NM) and have somebody else pay for it all.
It also matters if your child is a male or a female. You can say whatever you want (and I am sure this is a sensitive button to all those who think the man has kept them down for so many years--e.g. Nancy Hogshead, et. al) but title IX is blatantly unfair to males that are not football players. Most schools have half the number (or less) of scholarships for men's swimming v. female. There is absolutely no way to make it fair as programs try to "make-up" for 80 football scholarships.
Also, as some have pointed out, it does matter where you graduate. My sister went to Yale law school and she could pretty much go where ever she wanted for a job.
Bottom line: if your kid is good enough to go to a reputable school, definitely do it. Otherwise, if you can afford it, send he/she to the best school money can buy (there is always time after education and career making that he/she can become like all of us on this thread--washed up wannabe athletes).
I agree with Jeff, if you can go to a program like Texas (where my brother swam 81-84), they treat all the athletes excellent and make sure you excel academically (orthopedic surgeon now).
Another brother swam for Berkeley (?81-83) and was treated like crap because he was not the best. I think he bailed on his senior year to concentrate on academics (he became a high falutin' orthopedic surgeon).
I swam for a mediocre team (BYU) and would not have traded anything for the lessons learned and the level of discipline achieved in combining academics and college level swimming (although it is hard to give your best to both). It was great to get an education and to travel the world (to such exotic places as Las Cruces, NM) and have somebody else pay for it all.
It also matters if your child is a male or a female. You can say whatever you want (and I am sure this is a sensitive button to all those who think the man has kept them down for so many years--e.g. Nancy Hogshead, et. al) but title IX is blatantly unfair to males that are not football players. Most schools have half the number (or less) of scholarships for men's swimming v. female. There is absolutely no way to make it fair as programs try to "make-up" for 80 football scholarships.
Also, as some have pointed out, it does matter where you graduate. My sister went to Yale law school and she could pretty much go where ever she wanted for a job.
Bottom line: if your kid is good enough to go to a reputable school, definitely do it. Otherwise, if you can afford it, send he/she to the best school money can buy (there is always time after education and career making that he/she can become like all of us on this thread--washed up wannabe athletes).
