[quote=Husker Fan][
This comment was posted earlier on this topic by Kale Mann:
Kale, I do not agree with you though on your last statement that I firmly believe most of the time the parents are more interested in the athletic scholarship for bragging rights than for the actual monetary value. I really do not think that is true. Yes, there is a great deal of pride that a parent takes in their child earning an award or scholarship. And I know we all including myself like to toot our own horn to a certain extent. However, the number and amount of scholarships available in a sport definitely makes a difference to parents. I think we can all agree how important a college education is to a young person today. In this new global high tech economy a good college education is imperative. I believe it is only going to be more important in the future. The cost of college has escalated and that rising cost trend will no doubt continue. College expense is a major factor for most families and the parents and students strive for as much scholarship money as possible whether academic or athletic. I believe that the number and amount of college scholarship available for wrestling does influence parental support directed to wrestling at early ages. I truly believe parental support for wrestling even at the early ages would be stronger if there were better opportunities available in both the number and amount of college wrestling scholarships.
Vince, I agree with most- if not all of what you said. I should have been more clear with my statement regarding scholarships as bragging rights. I was actually directing this more towards the football side of things and the idea of a "full ride" as opposed to wrestling. Wrestlers know (or should know) no one is going to be offering a full athletic schloarship. Division 1 wrestling teams only have 9.9 scholarships for the entire team (if they are fully funded) which means there isn't enough money to go around for the starters- let alone all the redshirts, back-ups, etc.
In my years coaching football I witnessed multiple times parents being upset with college coaches who were not offering full athletic scholarships- but instead were working with kids to get academic money too. So much so that despite the student athletes wanting to attend those schools they went else where.
I had one parent tell me their son was getting a "full ride for football" to Highland even though I know they can not offer full athletic scholarships.
I had another student who was offered a preferred walk-on to a major D1 program who he liked very much with every opportunity to compete for the athletic scholarship and his grades were certainly good enough to get him significant academic money- but his parents pushed him to the Juco ranks because they wanted the opportunity for the full ride in a couple of years.
I had another athlete turn down the full ride to a D2 school because he and his parents felt that he should go D1. He also went the Juco route and eventually did earn the D1 scholarship- but missed out on competing for national titles and playing close to home.
This does not include the parents who would talk about their VERY AVERAGE athlete like he was D1 material- and would then be mad because they didn't get offers for running 4.9 40's.
All of these kids (and many more I don't have the time to tell their stories) had good football careers and great memories from playing high school football- but parents blinded by the need to get the "full ride" often times made their senior years unpleasant experiences. That is what I was referring to.
Trust me- I hope my kids can get some scholarships- no telling how expensive college will be 15 & 17 years from now! We'll focus on the academics and have some fun in the athletics (hopefully). If they are my kids- and people tell me they look like me- no one is going to be knocking down their door to play football or basketball! Not too many needs for short, not too fast athletes at the next level!!!!
