Search for schools that offer your sport of choice, and contact their athletic department and coaches to obtain information about the scholarships they offer, and how to apply for one. It is important to market yourself to your desired schools, to make sure they know who you are!

There are a many different sports scholarships available, and they will differ according to what athletics and sports each school offers. These may include scholarships for golf, baseball, basketball, soccer, football, wrestling, swimming, hockey, softball, tennis, skiing, cross country, track, volleyball, crew, archery, field hockey, or gymnastics (among others).

Division I and Division II schools give out undergraduate athletic scholarships. Division III schools don’t offer athletic scholarships, they only offer academic scholarships. Athletic scholarships are regulated and partially funded by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). Athletic scholarships are also distributed equally among the sexes.

Student-athletes who are interested in playing sports in college should register with the NCAA Eligibility Center at the start of their junior year in high school. There are requirements for getting a scholarship at a NCAA Division I or Division II school, which always require students to earn and maintain a certain GPA. Additional information is available on their website.

A reminder that the 2010 Winter Olympics start Friday February 12 – so student-athletes should start preparing to win the gold today by receiving sports scholarships from their schools!