Yes, it can… review your athlete’s current scholarship agreement
If your son or daughter is on an athletic scholarship at their college or university, do you have a copy of their scholarship agreement for the current year?
If so, have you read through the agreement to know the conditions under which it can be reduced or cancelled?
I recently consulted with parents whose son’s athletic scholarship was taken away. Unfortunately, they did not have a copy of their son’s scholarship agreement. This is an example of why you should have a copy of your athlete’s signed scholarship agreement so you know what expectations have been placed on your son or daughter.
- We all know that they’re expected to stay academically eligible, conduct themselves properly, and work hard in practice every day.
- It’s also very common that there are team rules or athletic department policies that could cause them to lose their scholarship if violated.
We understand that it could be an uncomfortable conversation if you need to ask the coach or athletic department for a copy of the agreement.
- However, if you feel things aren’t going well for your son or daughter, or if they are being threatened with the cancellation of their scholarship, it is important to know what is stated in those rules or policies.
- In addition, it is good to know your athlete’s rights if they are told that the school won’t be able to provide their scholarship.
Here’s an example from an email received earlier this Fall:
A father recently wrote that his son, who had signed a Letter of Intent with a major Division I baseball program, was told just 10 days before he was to enroll at the college that they weren’t going to be able to provide his scholarship.
The reasoning (or excuse!) explained by the coach was that they had returning players who weren’t drafted as they expected, and they now needed to give scholarships to those guys instead.
Would it be uncomfortable for that young athlete to tell the coach “I signed your scholarship agreement, and I’m going to honor my commitment and enroll at your school this Fall?” Yes, absolutely!
In this case, this athlete would have been fully entitled to receive the scholarship that was formally offered and accepted as long as he was certified as an NCAA Qualifier and satisfied the admission requirements of that university.
If you have questions about your student-athlete’s scholarship, schedule a Scholarship Strategies Consult online, or contact us for further information at 913-766-1235 or rick@informedathlete.com.
