Unless an older sibling, family member or family friend has been recruited and offered a college scholarship to play a sport, most parents are unfamiliar with the ins and outs of collegiate athletics. Particularly, parents of cheerleaders, who as a group of athletes are nearly never recruited and offered scholarships in the traditional manner of other sports, have no understanding of the scholarship process. In the infancy of evolving a sport from the activity of cheerleading, there must be a learning curve for cheer parents and athletes to understand what it means to recieve a college scholarship to participate in a varsity sport at a university.
Many people have the idea that recieving a college scholarship means you get a "full ride" and everything is paid for. The reality is far from that idea. Out of just over 200 possible scholarships that can be given for all female NCAA sports combined, only 47 are automatic full rides. That's 75% that are partial scholarships.
This introduces the first concept for cheer parents to understand about scholarships; the head count sports versus equivalency sports. A head count sport means that the maximum number of scholarships the NCAA allows for that sport reflects how many full ride scholarships there are. If there are 13 maximum scholarships allowed for a head count sport, then the 13 players on the roster recieving a scholarship are recieving a full ride scholarship. For women's NCAA sports this is basketball, gymnastics, tennis and volleyball which represent the 47 of 205 scholarships available for all 22+ NCAA women's sports combined.
Every other sport is known as an equivalency sport. This means that the total amount of scholarship dollars awarded to all athletes on that team can only be equivalent to the total value of the NCAA maximum number of scholarships for that sport. For example, if a school's total cost is $25,000 for the year, then 1 full scholarship at that school equals $25,000. In an equivalency sport, 5 athletes could each recieve a $5,000 dollar scholarship which would add up to the equivalency of 1 scholarship. So if the maximum is 13 scholarships for that equivalency sport, then the coach could divide up (13x$25,000) and split it however they want amongst the athletes on the team. The sport of acrobatics and tumbling is an equivalency sport. As with all the women's equivalency sports such as softball, soccer, rowing, ice hockey, track, swimming and diving, the vast majority of athletes are on partial scholarships. This is the reality of over 75% of all female collegiate athletes.
In addition to understanding the type of scholarships that are awarded in collegiate sports, each institution has its own policies on the length or gaurantee of those scholarships. The NCAA has had a one year rule in place since 1973. Institutions only have to gaurantee the scholarship for one year at a time. Past that minimum, every school or coach can develop their own policies or offer longer scholarship gaurantees. It is not uncommon in equivalency sports that a coach may not renew scholarships or even reduce them if the athlete is not meeting expectations. Again, each school and coach will have their own policies to determine who gets their scholarship renewed and the amounts may increase or decrease. The athletic departments will typically have some rules in place to protect student athletes and make sure they are getting every opportunity to succeed. While it may not be uncommon to not renew a scholarship, it doesn't mean it is a regular practice among schools to do so.
With regard to the average cheer parent and cheer athlete, this is important and very new information that can be a little shocking to adjust to. Particularly because cheerleading is an activity and every team gets a shot. In sports, not every team gets a shot. If you don't qualify for the next level, your season is done. This same principle is inherent in how athletes are awarded scholarships. In collegiate sports, you are rewarded for your talent and performance. Not every kid just gets to sign up and be on the team. There may be walk ons and non scholarship athletes on the team, but they earn their spots and have to continue to earn them over the course of their collegiate career. Some may eventually be awarded scholarships and some never do. Some scholarship athletes may earn increases or go the opposite direction based on performance or other factors.
The idea that an athlete could make the team, but not really be a starter is a new concept for most cheer people. In the all star or even the scholarstic cheer world, if you make the team, you are in the routine. Acro and tumbling is a sport that has starters, specialists/role players and like all other sports, the developmental athletes who may never see almost any playing time. Those athletes may have just never progressed or may have regressed in abilities. Unfortunately, there will be times when the coach will have to evaluate the athlete's contribution to the team against a further investment in that athlete, distributing those dollars to reward a move valuable athlete or begin an investment towards and incoming new athlete.
Of course, not every athletes is under the gun to loose their scholarship every year. The majority of athletes improve year to year and develop experience and leadership qualities that make them more valuable than even incoming athletes who are more talented. It is just as much the responsibility of the athlete to take advantage of every training resource and improve their skills as it is for the coach to provide an environment and the opportunities to do that. Typically is it only in extreme cases of regression, character or academic circumstance that a scholarship is not renewed. Even injured athletes usually have the opportunity to recover and reestablish themselves.
The reality of scholarships is not a negative one. It is a tremendous advantage that creates opportunity for not just the athletes involved, but also for the entire family. The cost of college can be a limitation or even deal breaker without financial assistance. The benefit for a family that doesn't have to come up with $25,000 dollars a year is an obvious one. For coaches, the opportunity to reward curent athletes as well as new ones is one of the most satisfying moments during the season. The joy from an athlete when a coach says, "I want you and here's what I want to give you to get you here," is a wonderful thing to experience. Life as a scholarship varsity athlete is undboutedly a very different and enhanced experience compared to nearly every other student on campus.
Currently, ONLY acrobatic and tumbling teams offer scholarships and status as varsity athletes that include the full support of the athletic department. All NCATA member schools follow the full gamut of NCAA regulations for a sport including the way scholarships are awarded each season to each athlete. Unlike any form of cheerleading at the scholastic, recreation or club level, the new sport of acro and tumbling will require parents and athletes to adjust to college athletics. The hope of every serious competitive cheer athlete is to get a scholarship to compete for their favorite university. The NCATA is marching towards making that hope a reality through NCAA emerging sport status, however, it does mean a departure from the pay-to-play inclusive nature of the activity of cheerleading. This is college sports and a spot or scholarship given, will also have to be earned.
Many people have the idea that recieving a college scholarship means you get a "full ride" and everything is paid for. The reality is far from that idea. Out of just over 200 possible scholarships that can be given for all female NCAA sports combined, only 47 are automatic full rides. That's 75% that are partial scholarships.
This introduces the first concept for cheer parents to understand about scholarships; the head count sports versus equivalency sports. A head count sport means that the maximum number of scholarships the NCAA allows for that sport reflects how many full ride scholarships there are. If there are 13 maximum scholarships allowed for a head count sport, then the 13 players on the roster recieving a scholarship are recieving a full ride scholarship. For women's NCAA sports this is basketball, gymnastics, tennis and volleyball which represent the 47 of 205 scholarships available for all 22+ NCAA women's sports combined.
Every other sport is known as an equivalency sport. This means that the total amount of scholarship dollars awarded to all athletes on that team can only be equivalent to the total value of the NCAA maximum number of scholarships for that sport. For example, if a school's total cost is $25,000 for the year, then 1 full scholarship at that school equals $25,000. In an equivalency sport, 5 athletes could each recieve a $5,000 dollar scholarship which would add up to the equivalency of 1 scholarship. So if the maximum is 13 scholarships for that equivalency sport, then the coach could divide up (13x$25,000) and split it however they want amongst the athletes on the team. The sport of acrobatics and tumbling is an equivalency sport. As with all the women's equivalency sports such as softball, soccer, rowing, ice hockey, track, swimming and diving, the vast majority of athletes are on partial scholarships. This is the reality of over 75% of all female collegiate athletes.
In addition to understanding the type of scholarships that are awarded in collegiate sports, each institution has its own policies on the length or gaurantee of those scholarships. The NCAA has had a one year rule in place since 1973. Institutions only have to gaurantee the scholarship for one year at a time. Past that minimum, every school or coach can develop their own policies or offer longer scholarship gaurantees. It is not uncommon in equivalency sports that a coach may not renew scholarships or even reduce them if the athlete is not meeting expectations. Again, each school and coach will have their own policies to determine who gets their scholarship renewed and the amounts may increase or decrease. The athletic departments will typically have some rules in place to protect student athletes and make sure they are getting every opportunity to succeed. While it may not be uncommon to not renew a scholarship, it doesn't mean it is a regular practice among schools to do so.
With regard to the average cheer parent and cheer athlete, this is important and very new information that can be a little shocking to adjust to. Particularly because cheerleading is an activity and every team gets a shot. In sports, not every team gets a shot. If you don't qualify for the next level, your season is done. This same principle is inherent in how athletes are awarded scholarships. In collegiate sports, you are rewarded for your talent and performance. Not every kid just gets to sign up and be on the team. There may be walk ons and non scholarship athletes on the team, but they earn their spots and have to continue to earn them over the course of their collegiate career. Some may eventually be awarded scholarships and some never do. Some scholarship athletes may earn increases or go the opposite direction based on performance or other factors.
The idea that an athlete could make the team, but not really be a starter is a new concept for most cheer people. In the all star or even the scholarstic cheer world, if you make the team, you are in the routine. Acro and tumbling is a sport that has starters, specialists/role players and like all other sports, the developmental athletes who may never see almost any playing time. Those athletes may have just never progressed or may have regressed in abilities. Unfortunately, there will be times when the coach will have to evaluate the athlete's contribution to the team against a further investment in that athlete, distributing those dollars to reward a move valuable athlete or begin an investment towards and incoming new athlete.
Of course, not every athletes is under the gun to loose their scholarship every year. The majority of athletes improve year to year and develop experience and leadership qualities that make them more valuable than even incoming athletes who are more talented. It is just as much the responsibility of the athlete to take advantage of every training resource and improve their skills as it is for the coach to provide an environment and the opportunities to do that. Typically is it only in extreme cases of regression, character or academic circumstance that a scholarship is not renewed. Even injured athletes usually have the opportunity to recover and reestablish themselves.
The reality of scholarships is not a negative one. It is a tremendous advantage that creates opportunity for not just the athletes involved, but also for the entire family. The cost of college can be a limitation or even deal breaker without financial assistance. The benefit for a family that doesn't have to come up with $25,000 dollars a year is an obvious one. For coaches, the opportunity to reward curent athletes as well as new ones is one of the most satisfying moments during the season. The joy from an athlete when a coach says, "I want you and here's what I want to give you to get you here," is a wonderful thing to experience. Life as a scholarship varsity athlete is undboutedly a very different and enhanced experience compared to nearly every other student on campus.
Currently, ONLY acrobatic and tumbling teams offer scholarships and status as varsity athletes that include the full support of the athletic department. All NCATA member schools follow the full gamut of NCAA regulations for a sport including the way scholarships are awarded each season to each athlete. Unlike any form of cheerleading at the scholastic, recreation or club level, the new sport of acro and tumbling will require parents and athletes to adjust to college athletics. The hope of every serious competitive cheer athlete is to get a scholarship to compete for their favorite university. The NCATA is marching towards making that hope a reality through NCAA emerging sport status, however, it does mean a departure from the pay-to-play inclusive nature of the activity of cheerleading. This is college sports and a spot or scholarship given, will also have to be earned.
