Grades vs. No Grades during the athletic recruiting process and how excelling in school can benefit you

One area that may not be vital to the recruiting process but is important is academics. And while some may think they need to focus on their abilities on the field, the court, or the diamond, that is not always the case. Success academically is very vital for those on the fringe of the Division I level who want a chance to play at that level.

It may not seem fair but when a group of basketball players end up with a team GPA, everyone’s grades make an equal impact on the equation. The star player who sports a 2.0 can be balanced by the walk on that currently has received straight A’s and has a 4.0 at the college level. And considering how important having a high team GPA and graduation rate are to a coach, they will do what they can do to find a balance on their team.

The reason that I am writing this article is because of a story that I heard recently. Following the first semester of the year, a Division I baseball team had to cut players to get down to a certain number. With one cut left, the coach decided to cut a freshman over a senior. Both were walk-ons but the coach went with the experienced player.

Because they were both walk-ons, the chances of them playing anytime soon were unlikely. The senior would have likely graduated while the freshman may have had a chance to play down the road. Both were getting a chance to play the sport that they loved at the Division I level, even if they were not getting paid to do so.

After the decision was made, this coach received his grade reports for the first semester. Once these became clear to him, he quickly decided to reverse his decision. The freshman had worked hard in the classroom and ended up with a 4.0. The senior on the other hand struggled with a 2.5 in the classroom. There may have been a variety of reasons and excuses as to why the younger athlete received better grades but he just did.

That shows a perfect example of how if you do well academically, it can help you in a big way if you are on the fringe of being a Division I player. As I have talked about many times previously, having good grades and ACT/SAT scores will not get you a scholarship. But it could open doors at schools that you would not have a chance previously.

Another story regarding this was at a major Division I basketball program. They had a small guard who was a great kid but didn’t seem to be a Division I player. I had a chance to shoot with him for a while and he just did not seem like the type of athlete who could play at the Division I level. This player was a great kid and was one a coach never needed to worry about.

This player had left his home state of Texas to attend an out of state university that cost a lot of money. But with academic scholarships, a lot of it was being paid for as a walk on. He was studying Engineering, which the normal basketball player just does not have the ability to do. And all the while, he was maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

When talking to one of the assistant coaches about this kid, he was brutally honest with me. This coach made it very clear to me that all athletes on the team count the same for the overall GPA of the basketball program. As mentioned, even if they are a star or will never play, each counts the exact same.

So here is another example about a player being on the fringe of the Division I level and getting a chance because he is taking care of business in the classroom. I believe this athlete went on to play all four years at the school and I am positive that he has a very highly sought after degree.

He may not have had the chance to shine under the bright lights every game night but he did take care of what was needed when going to college. And that is getting an education that will help you be successful throughout the rest of your life. Even with the title of student athlete, some Division I players forget that.

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