This is the million dollar question that we get asked almost on a daily basis and as always, there is not only one right or wrong answer! Every case is different and while some athletes peak earlier than others, there are definitely some undeniable benefits of going to college. First of all, it gives you the security of having a college degree, in case the professional career does not work out. There have been numerous young athletes who were at the very top in their respective sport at age 15 or 16, but then were never able to breakthrough at the professional level. Secondly, in a lot of sports, past and current examples have shown that college can be the ideal preparation for a future professional career.
College will not only help you improve as an athlete, it will also make you grow as a person and become an adult faster. At university, you will learn how to make your own schedule, how to balance the different aspects of life and your sport, and most importantly you will learn how to make important decisions on your own. Furthermore, life as a professional athlete can be very taxing on your mental health, especially at a very young age, and it can be very lonely at times. In college, you will always be surrounded by a team, by friends, and by people willing to help you at all times. So it is in our opinion the ideal transition from childhood to being a professional athlete without having to do it in the blink of an eye.
And again, every case is slightly different and for some athletes, turning pro early might be the best choice. There have definitely been boys and girls who turned pro at a very young age and had immediate success. Serena and Venus Williams, Rory McIlroy and Sergio Garcia, and most recently Carlos Alcaraz have shown that it can definitely be done. But keep in mind that those athletes are generational talents who are among the greatest athletes in their respective sports. There have also been numerous legends of the sports world, who did play college sports, so it is definitely a path that works and that can help you make it to the next level!