Are you college ready

Being prepared to wrestle in college goes far beyond just preparing for life on the mat. In fact, A lack of preparation off the mat that can derail many a high schooler’s dream of competing at the next level.

"The biggest thing parents and wrestlers need to know and fully understand is that wrestling at the collegiate level is a full-time job," says Steve Garland, head coach of University of Virginia, who was also the 2000 ACC Wrestler of the Year while attending Virginia. "The point is, if you are just doing it because you’ve always done it, it just won’t work," he explains. "In my experience, the student-athlete needs to be 100 percent certain that he actually wants to wrestle in college."

True commitment is something some high school kids don't quiet grasp, says Garland. They may have wrestled—and won—a lot in high school, but they don’t fully realize the dedication needed to excel in a college environment. "If you are going to wrestle in college you need to love wrestling. You need to love the smell of the room, love training, love lifting, love nutrition, love the lifestyle and love the grind," says Garland.

Adam Koballa, a former Division I wrestler at Old Dominion University, who went on to coach and recruit for Notre Dame College of Cleveland, agrees. And even if the desire is there, he says student-athletes—and their parents—need to be realistic about their chances of moving up to college competition.

To honestly gauge the odds of making the leap to college, Koballa recommends parents and wrestlers talk with high school coaches to learn more about which past wrestlers successfully made the transition. In addition, reach out to the parents of those college wrestlers as well. Find out what their experiences were like. What would they do differently? “Don't rely on just the coach to make contact,” he advises. “Use their guidance and references, but set your own path and reach out to those colleges that you are interested in.”

Contacting a prospective college coach is always a good idea if you’re seriously thinking about college wrestling, says Nate Skaar, an assistant coach at Upper Iowa University, a Division II school in Fayette, Iowa. "We get a lot of emails from recruits and it is a great way to start the process. It shows that a kid is interested, that's half of the battle." Sending mass emails, however, is not a good way to start the relationship, he notes. Instead, personalize your interest in that school and program in every communication.

Also keep in mind, that ultimately it’s the wrestler, not the parents, that will be attending college, so the fit has to be right for the former not the latter. "If mom and dad are taking care of all this stuff and the student is unaware of it all, I get concerned," says Skaar, of the college selection and application process. "I get excited when the student-athlete is engaged with all of the behind the scene work that goes into entering college. I would encourage parents and students to plan all of these things side-by-side so there is a strong level of understanding from everyone."

But parents and wrestlers must also recognize that a student-athletes performance off the mat matters even more in college. "As a wrestler you can’t expect to win if you haven’t trained, put in the extra work, and taken care of your body. “The classroom is the same way,” notes Randy Rager, the head coach at Rochester Community and Technical College (Rochester, Minn.). “Don’t expect to do well [in college] if you don’t go to class or do the homework. At the college level, don’t even expect to wrestle if your academics aren’t in order." 

Another reality check; scholarships are harder to come by than many parents realize. "The term ‘full-ride’ is about as misleading and inaccurate a statement as there is in our sport," says Garland. Division I schools, for example, are only allowed the equivalent of 9.9 full wrestling scholarships. So a large majority of any DI college wrestling team gets little to no athletic financial aid. "Understand this above all else and it will drastically cut down on heartbreak and unmet expectations.” Garland advises. On the other hand, many parents overlook what might be better scholarship opportunities at smaller schools at Division II and NAIA levels. (Division III schools offer no athletic scholarships.)

"Do your homework to ensure that you put yourself in the absolute best situation in order to achieve your goals," says Quincy Osborn, who wrestled at both Division I and Division III schools during his college career. Now head coach at Lakeland College, a DIII program in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, Osborn points out that high school performance is never an indicator of future success or failure. There are countless examples of high school state champions who didn't find success on the mat after graduation and just as many wrestlers who may not have won trophies in high school but went on to reach their athletic goals in college, he notes.

College wrestling can present wrestlers with a unique opportunity to pursue an education while chasing their athletic goals, says Osborn. But getting there takes hard work and commitment on the mat and in the classroom. "I believe if you commit to living a championship lifestyle and never give up you will eventually find success," he says. "Sheer determination plays a larger role in college success. You will never regret working too hard at something."

More Resources
NCAA Clearinghouse information for college-bound student-athletes