Getting Your Child Into A Sports Academy

Should you, or should you not? This is a question that most parents face when it comes to dealing with their children—whether the kids are asking for permission to go on a sleepover at a friend's place, asking for money to buy something, or—yes—even asking whether they can get into a sports academy.

Children today are getting more and more active and are growing more and more up to the challenge of the times. They love interaction, they love competition, and they love sports. Many parents, at one point in their life or another, have to deal with a kid asking whether he can play basketball with friends, join the football team in school, and even get a formal education in sports. While all these are indications of healthy-minded children, getting into a sports school is not an easy thing—you have to think of expenses, of health and physical well-being, among others.

If your child is really serious about getting into it, here are some things for you to consider before you send your kid to the academy.

Ask Yourself These Questions:

• Does your kid love the sport? Or is it just one of those passing interests that he will likely soon forget once he finds something new to turn his attention on? If you know that your child has always loved the sport, then it will be helpful to get him formal training—who knows, he may be the next basketball star.

• Does your child have the ability? Is he showing some potential at playing the sport, or does he merely want to go into the academy because his peers are all enrolling as well? If you know that your kid has always been good at it and you know that he has what it takes to be a star in the game, then sending him to a sports school is a good idea.

• Is he physically fit? There are some medical problems that might be aggravated by too much physical activity (heart problems, etc.). If your child has any medical condition that might be negatively affected by sports activities, then you might want to think it twice. At best, consult a physician.

• Do you have the money? Getting into an academy for sports can be expensive. Aside from the training fee, you'll have to spend on sports gears and equipment. If you have the resources, then go for it. Otherwise, you can postpone the plan or think of other alternatives—summer sports camps, community gymnasiums, and others.

Once you've taken the said questions in consideration and decided to enroll your child in a sports academy, all that you need to think about is to find the right school and to get the necessary equipment that your child will need. Find schools with high standards to ensure the quality of the training that your child will receive.

Find a good academy sports store as well to get high-quality gears and equipment that your child can use for a long time.

Applying For An Academy Sports Scholarship If you're an athlete who has just graduated from high school, and you're thinking about making your way through college via a scholarship in one of the schools you're eyeing, one of the appealing options that you can try is an academy sports scholarship. This type of scholarship is now a common trend among many schools in the United States. In fact, there are some schools that give strong emphasis on sports. When it comes to sports scholarships, you have a lot of choices. There are scholarships for men and women, and the sports cover individual and team sports. Some of them are: • Baseball • Basketball • Football • Volleyball • Golf • Swimming • Fencing • Track and Field • Archery • Hockey A sports scholarship is a great way to help athletes with their education expenses and is also a great means to further improve their skills through intensive training. And if you get into a scholarship in sports, you won't only enjoy the savings and training but also the fun of doing something you really care about. And as a bonus, many sports scholars and athletes enjoy a certain popularity in schools. What You Need To Apply For A Sports Scholarship Before you think about enjoying all the benefits, however, you must know that applying for a sports scholarship is not an easy thing. Aside from the fact that many schools may impose limits on the number of scholars that they can accept due to the limitations in fund, the standards for the scholarship are also usually high. Basically, you will need the following to qualify for a scholarship: • Good grades. Even though it's a sports scholarship, schools also look at the academic achievements of the applicants. After all, they must be sure that you can handle all your other subjects even with the great amount of time that you would have to spend on your sport. So, be sure that your records show remarkable rates to convince the coaches and trainers that you're worth it. • Skills. Of course, you must have a strong foundation in the sports you are applying a scholarship for. Because there are a lot of students who apply for this type of scholarship, you must show that you have what it takes to be a true athlete. It would be greatly helpful if you've had previous experiences in joining high levels of sports competition, or if you've been a part of known leagues and teams. • Determination and motivation. Other than the two main requirements, you must also show dedication and motivation in getting what you want. Talk to coaches and trainers and show them how interested you are in the scholarship. If you know how to properly market yourself and your skills, then you'll have a great chance of qualifying. The first thing you must do to start your application would be to approach coaches. The earlier you do it, and the younger you are when you apply for an academy sports scholarship, the better. There are schools that impose age limits to their athletes, so it pays to give it a try while you're still younger.