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Prep Beat
Stories about student-athletes at NCAA Division I or II schools who do not qualify to compete in intercollegiate athletics as freshmen hit the sports pages often. Athletes should
know college
requirementsBy Al Chase
Star-BulletinThe reasons vary. One common one is the lack of a core course on the high school transcript.
The anxiety associated with the situation and the potential loss of athletic financial aid, playing and practice time and a year of eligibility can be avoided.
The NCAA publishes a booklet, "Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete," that every prep athlete considering playing college athletics should obtain.
The NCAA sends copies to all high schools based on the need from the year before.
It is free and can be ordered by calling 1-800-638-3731.
"They should start looking at it as (high school) freshmen. Parents should want to make sure their child takes the right courses," said University of Hawaii compliance coordinator Daniel Arakaki.
The guide has a worksheet for students to track their progress in completing required core courses.
The core courses for Division I are four years of English, two years of mathematics at the level of Algebra I or above, two years of natural or physical science, two years of social science, an additional year of English, math or natural or physical science, and two years of additional courses in any of the above or a foreign language, computer science or nondoctrinal religion.
The approved core courses for every high school in the nation are available on the NCAA web site (www.ncaa.org), as well as answers to any number of questions.
The prospective college athlete should register with the NCAA's Initial-Eligibility Clearinghouse. The form is included in the guide.
"It's recommended they do it after their junior year so the evaluation of their transcript being done is on six semesters," said Arakaki. "When the reports come back it will show what's missing and it won't be astronomical."
The purpose of the Clearinghouse is to certify that a student-athlete is eligible to compete as college freshman in Division I or II.
The guidelines are strict, but if the Clearinghouse denies a student-athlete, an appeal can be made to the NCAA.
Arakaki cited a case where a student took English during the summer before entering the 9th grade, something not acceptable under Clearinghouse guidelines.
But the NCAA issued a waiver.
"This year the NCAA eased up a bit. Now, the Clearinghouse pretty much accepts all courses designated as core courses by a high school," Arakaki said.
Arakaki conducts workshops statewide and his message to parents is straight forward: "What I tell them is they have to get involved with what's going on with their child."