4 answers
Abria
Student
Rock Hill, South Carolina
1
Question
Updated
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What is the daily life of a college student who plays sports and how do they adjust to it ?
I am a senior and I want to play volleyball in college. Whether it’s club or playing in a division. I want to major in nursing or going the pre-med route.
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4 answers
Charles Anderson
Lead Privacy Analyst at AT&T -- Head Soccer Coach, Middle School Girls / Asst HC, High School Girls
32
Answers
Richardson, Texas
Updated
Charles’s Answer
Abria,
This actually depends on what level of college you are playing at. Division I sport's takes a lot of your time whether training, game film, weights, recovery, games, etc. DI sports play or participate almost all year (Fall and Spring), where DII and DIII schools usually only are full during their respective season. You'll still have off season practice, weights, etc. but it's not as full as DI. I don't know the answer to NAIA schools, but believe they are similar to DII and DIII. Now if you play club volleyball, it doesn't take up as much time as playing for your school. My suggestion is, since you are a senior, is to look at the colleges you are interested in attending for nursing (which can be a demanding schedule the further you go through college), then see if they have club or collegiate volleyball. From there, if you can visit the school in session, perhaps you can talk to the volleyball coach and any of their players (specifically if you can look up the roster to see if any are in nursing and ask them about classes vs. volleyball schedule), and if you are lucky perhaps even some of the club players. That way you get an understanding of what it takes for each one. From the sound of your question, it sounds like you want to do nursing and enjoy volleyball, but you aren't tied into playing "massively competitive", so just do the same research you probably did for your college interests and see what they have to offer on the side of volleyball.
Financially, only DI and DII colleges can offer some athletic scholarship to play for them, but not to play club volleyball.
Research what colleges you are interested have Club or Collegiate Volleyball
Visit the campus to talk to Collegiate Coach and players (possibly Club and/or College)
This actually depends on what level of college you are playing at. Division I sport's takes a lot of your time whether training, game film, weights, recovery, games, etc. DI sports play or participate almost all year (Fall and Spring), where DII and DIII schools usually only are full during their respective season. You'll still have off season practice, weights, etc. but it's not as full as DI. I don't know the answer to NAIA schools, but believe they are similar to DII and DIII. Now if you play club volleyball, it doesn't take up as much time as playing for your school. My suggestion is, since you are a senior, is to look at the colleges you are interested in attending for nursing (which can be a demanding schedule the further you go through college), then see if they have club or collegiate volleyball. From there, if you can visit the school in session, perhaps you can talk to the volleyball coach and any of their players (specifically if you can look up the roster to see if any are in nursing and ask them about classes vs. volleyball schedule), and if you are lucky perhaps even some of the club players. That way you get an understanding of what it takes for each one. From the sound of your question, it sounds like you want to do nursing and enjoy volleyball, but you aren't tied into playing "massively competitive", so just do the same research you probably did for your college interests and see what they have to offer on the side of volleyball.
Financially, only DI and DII colleges can offer some athletic scholarship to play for them, but not to play club volleyball.
Charles recommends the following next steps:
Raven Gerald
College Basketball Coach
18
Answers
Washington, Washington
Updated
Raven’s Answer
If you're playing NCAA Division I or II volleyball, your daily life during the off-season (pre-season, post-season, and possibly summer) would consist of any combination of practices, group/individual skill workouts, weightlifting, conditioning, and classes. Some days you will have all of these activities to attend and some days you will have only one of these activities to attend. It just depends on the way your coach constructs the team's schedule that week. Every week, during the off season, you are entitled to two off-days, which usually falls on the weekend.
During your competitive season (for women's volleyball, it's Fall), you will have the same combination of activities listed above. The main differences are: 1) You will now be competing in games against other schools. Therefore, some of the activities listed above will likely decrease in their frequency and intensity. 2) Film sessions of games and opponents will also likely be added to your list of required activities. 3) Your coaches are now entitled to spending more hours throughout the week with you and your team doing all of these volleyball-related activities. This usually amounts to about twice the amount of hours as in the off-season.
Another responsibility you may occasionally have as an NCAA student-athlete is community service and team-building activities with your team.
These are events that your coaches may plan throughout the year to expand your horizons and give back to the community, and also build stronger relationships with your teammates.
While doing all of this, you must remember to leave time to study and complete schoolwork so that you will remain academically eligible to compete in your sport and continue to progress toward graduation. Therefore, time management is an extremely important skill to develop as a college student-athlete.
During your competitive season (for women's volleyball, it's Fall), you will have the same combination of activities listed above. The main differences are: 1) You will now be competing in games against other schools. Therefore, some of the activities listed above will likely decrease in their frequency and intensity. 2) Film sessions of games and opponents will also likely be added to your list of required activities. 3) Your coaches are now entitled to spending more hours throughout the week with you and your team doing all of these volleyball-related activities. This usually amounts to about twice the amount of hours as in the off-season.
Another responsibility you may occasionally have as an NCAA student-athlete is community service and team-building activities with your team.
These are events that your coaches may plan throughout the year to expand your horizons and give back to the community, and also build stronger relationships with your teammates.
While doing all of this, you must remember to leave time to study and complete schoolwork so that you will remain academically eligible to compete in your sport and continue to progress toward graduation. Therefore, time management is an extremely important skill to develop as a college student-athlete.
Keith Rodgers
Sales Director
108
Answers
Phoenix, Arizona
Updated
Keith’s Answer
College and you have a full plate of classes on your schedule, it’s imperative that you have effective time management skills and a routine place in order to get those assignments completed. The amount of time that you’ve been working on your sport and preparing for the season, takes up a considerable amount of time you otherwise, would’ve been spending studying. The finding less ways to study and having resources in place like education, counselor, and even tutor, could make all the difference.
Needless to say, it’s not easy but you learn a work ethnic that will propel you to future endeavors
Needless to say, it’s not easy but you learn a work ethnic that will propel you to future endeavors
Claire Dutto
Localization Program Manager
2
Answers
Redwood City, California
Updated
Claire’s Answer
It depends on what college you go to. I personally went to a D3 school and played soccer on the varsity team there. My school was an elite liberal arts school and so academics came first. Given that, I never felt bogged down by trying to juggle both sports and academics because there was a culture of balance. My roommate was in the pre-med track and she never seemed stressed and was able to effectively manage going to practices, traveling for games while also studying and testing. This may not be the same for D1 and D2 where you might be expected to have a more rigorous training schedule for the sport that you're playing.