Many athletes around the country know the feeling of taking home a victory. However, not all understand what playing at the college level truly means. For instance, only an estimated 7.9 percent of high school women’s soccer players advance to compete at the collegiate level, according to the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA). And, even at the NCAA level, there exists further divisions: Division 1 (D1) athletes on one end and Division 3 (D3) athletes on the other.
The Next College Student Athlete (NCSA) website distinguishes D1 sports from D3 sports by noting D1 as the "highest level of college sports competition" in the U.S., including many notable schools and programs. In comparison, the NCSA highlights the "more well-rounded college experience" D3 offers, as well as a higher chance of "feeling more connected" to classmates.
The D1 and D3 levels offer their own set of experiences, with similarities and differences regarding recruitment, schedules, and impact. A NCAA estimate based on 2022-2023 data notes that 2.7 percent of high school women’s soccer players go on to play in D1 and 3 percent in D3. Exploring the recruitment process, the gateway to college athletics, is essential to understanding how athletes begin to compete at the NCAA level.
Auburn University sophomore Jenna Sapong and Oglethorpe University freshman Abby Zerm play women's soccer at the NCAA level. Sapong, a Division 1 goalkeeper, said, “Being a D1 athlete is a unique experience compared to non-athletes, and there are many moments where I look around and think about how grateful I am for this opportunity.” Zerm, a Division 3 defensive player, said, “Being a student-athlete means not many people understand how hard it is sometimes, but I have found great friends here, and all the athletes love to support each other.”
Recruitment
Both D1 and D3 players undergo recruitment to help land a spot on a college team. For most players, the process begins at the high school or club level of playing; recruiters often observe players at showcases, camps, and clinics. By emailing coaches and researching universities, players do their part in moving forward in the recruitment process. If a coach wants to connect with a player, they usually reach out to them through their club team and plan a call. If all goes well, the player is invited to visit the college or university.
Like many college athletes, Sapong and Zerm navigated the recruitment process by connecting with coaches, showcasing their skills, and visiting campuses before committing. Sapong said, “I wasn’t committed by my senior year, so I started applying to colleges regularly, got accepted to Auburn, and reached out to the coaches, saying I was interested in their soccer team. I had a couple of phone calls with them. They came to watch me play at a showcase in March of my senior year, then I went on a visit and finally committed.” In sharing her experience, Zerm said, “By the middle of my senior year, I decided I would rather play than not, so I reached out to some coaches and sent them a schedule of some of my showcases and games. They decided what games of mine to come to and would set up a visit with me. I reached out to the Oglethorpe coach and committed in November of my senior year.”
Though Sapong and Zerm shared a similar recruitment process on the student side, on the recruiter’s end, the head women’s soccer coach at Oglethorpe University, Rob King, discussed a significant difference. “At the D3 level, there are no athletic scholarships [offered by the NCAA],” King explained. “There are only academic merit scholarships, so we will recruit based on academics.” With this lack, King’s priority when recruiting is to find students with high GPAs who can earn academic scholarships, making university much more affordable.
Schedules
Sapong and Zerm provided a general outline of their day during soccer season:
Sapong (D1) | Zerm (D3) |
8 a.m.: Small Group Lift 9 a.m. - 9:50 a.m.: Class 10 a.m. - 11 a.m.: Tutoring 11 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.: Rehab 1:30 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.: Goalkeeper Practice 2:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.: Team Practice 5 p.m. - 5:40 p.m.: Film Games: Twice a Week Off days: Tuesdays Season Begins: End of June Season Ends: November | 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.: Classes 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.: Technical Training 4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.: Field Practice Games: Twice a Week Off days: Sunday Season Begins: August Season Ends: November |
Despite Sapong’s pre-season starting earlier than Zerm’s, the girls both have one day a week off and two games per week. King added that, per the NCAA Division 1 Manual, “during the in-season the [D1 and D3] schedules look very similar with a 20-game maximum and one day required off per week.” Yet, where D1 athletes participate in five dates of competition outside of the usual NCAA championship term, D3 athletes play only one date.
In short, while in-season schedules for D1 and D3 athletes share many similarities, the real contrast emerges during the off-season. With D1 teams allocated more competition dates in their nontraditional segment, players at that level often maintain a more rigorous training schedule year-round.
Finding Balance
When it comes to the impact of college athletics on athletes' lives, athletes, D1 and D3, often identify a lack of balance. “It is hard to keep up with classes during the season, especially on game days,” Zerm said.
Information from the NCSA seconded this. “Every moment of your day is accounted for,” the website notes. “Many athletes stay on campus during the summer and take their most challenging classes then because they can devote more time to them.”
Both Sapong and Zerm spoke about the lack of time to commit to other on-campus activities and classes. Sapong said, “Soccer practice is in the afternoon, so I don't have time for any other on-campus clubs, which sucks.”
Time spent traveling for games also decreases the amount of available time for extracurriculars. D1 players tend to travel further distances for games due to conference structure, and college athletes must factor in practice times to their school schedules and time spent traveling back and forth to games. The amount of funding a program receives can also either hinder or help expand resources and support for student athletes.
Conclusion
Ultimately, the experiences of Sapong and Zerm reveal that the life of a student-athlete goes far beyond the game itself. Whether competing under the bright lights of a Division 1 stadium or the close-knit fields of Division 3, these athletes can face stressful recruiting processes, exhausting schedules, and personal sacrifices. Zerm reflected, “I have made some of my closest friends through soccer and wouldn’t trade my experience for anything.” Regardless of their division, these women aim to encapsulate the true resilience, dedication, and heart that define college athletes.
Comentários