Once you arrive on campus with your sports scholarship, you have already accomplished something amazing. You are one of the few student-athletes competing in the US college system, which is something to be very proud of. While you are about to embark on an amazing 4-year journey, you still need to take care of what your coach and university expect from you. So what are these expectations and what should you avoid doing so you do not jeopardize this great opportunity?
First and foremost, do what brought you here. Be yourself and treat everyone with respect. This does not only apply to your coaches, but also to the professors, your tutors, the trainers, and basically everyone that you will encounter on campus. Secondly, take care of your academics. While you might have received an academic scholarship that requires a certain GPA to get renewed at the end of the year, having good grades will also go a long way with your coach and it will keep you eligible to compete. Having an athlete who struggles in a classroom is something all coaches are afraid of. It creates extra work for them to stay on top of your academics and also jeopardizes your NCAA or NAIA eligibility. So do what you are supposed to, go to class and complete every assignment that you are given. And if that is still not enough and you are still struggling, just ask for help. Americans are very helpful when they see that someone is trying, so don’t be afraid to ask for help, whether it is to your coach, your professor or anyone else on campus.
Lastly, be a good teammate and always do what your coach asks you to do. That means showing up to practice on time, not getting angry when you get less playing time, and always treating the staff as well as your teammates with respect. And if on top of that, you act like a leader and lead by example, then chances are that your coach will reward that and increase your scholarship the next year!