What College Level Is Right for Your Athlete?
Helping 16–18-Year-Old Athletes Match Their College Goals to the Right Level of Play
Let’s talk about the power in getting real about your high school athlete’s goals. At this stage in the journey, they’ve either made the choice to continue competing at the club level or they’ve stepped away. Now you might be searching for a reality check on playing in college and navigating the college recruitment process. And the truth is this: there is a level for EVERYONE if they genuinely love to play and want to keep going. Period.
In this post, we’ll explore how you can support your athlete to better match their level of competition to their actual goals rather than external expectations.
Key Takeaways
Honest conversations about time, priorities, and what college sports actually look like are essential.
Clubs and coaches should be helping athletes get clarity, not boxing them into pipelines or feeding false promises.
Parents should focus on asking the right questions about commitment, balance, and what success actually looks like.
The goal isn’t to chase the highest level but rather find the right level.
Athletes benefit from peer mentorship and transparency around what’s possible and what’s worth it.
By the time an athlete is 16–18, they’ve either made the choice to continue competing at the club level or they’ve stepped away. If they’re still in it , the natural next question is:
“What level of college sport is realistic and worth it for them to pursue?”
This stage is about clarity, not comparison (and definitely not wishful thinking).
First: There’s a College Level for Every Athlete
If your athlete genuinely enjoys their sport and wants to keep playing in college, there is a level out there for them. But the level that’s right for them depends on what they want their college life to look like and not just how “good” they are on paper.
This is where it is crucial to get brutally honest about the following things:
Time: How much of it do they want to dedicate to the sport?
Lifestyle: Are they ok with missing out on social events, breaks, ‘conventional’ college schedules, leisurely travel, and even family time?
Academic priorities: Do they want to be at a rigorous academic institution or somewhere more flexible?
Higher level programs (e.g., Division 1) often come with heavy training, travel, performance pressure, increased competition for playing time, an unconventional college life outside the sport, etc. It is so important to not get caught up with the perceived bragging rights of being a D1 athlete here.
On the other hand, athletes who prioritize a balance of school, social life, and athletics might thrive at a D2, D3, or NAIA program where academics often carry more weight and the athletic environment is still competitive but more manageable.
A very important exercise to encourage your athlete to reflect on here is picturing different scenarios. For instance, imagine attending a higher division school but receive little to no playing time. Then, contrast that with attending a lower division school where they receive plenty of playing time. The key is to honestly consider what scenario would bring them more fulfillment and to weigh their academic/athletic priorities accordingly.
Another avenue that is worth considering is the club level (if offered by the university). Club sports are an amazing way for students to get involved in a community and still experience the competitiveness of a sport, but with a much more flexible schedule. I have seen and heard from peers who truly enjoy the opportunity to continue playing throughout college at this level, with far less pressure to juggle it alongside academics or extracurriculars.
No option is better or worse, they are all simply different.
Key Questions for Parents to Ask Their Athlete
The most helpful thing a parent can do is facilitate real conversations and remove some of the noise. Start with questions like:
What does your athlete picture when they imagine their college life?
Are they reaching out to coaches or hearing from them? And at what types of schools?
Do they want to prioritize elite athletics, elite academics, or a balance?
Are they prepared for the competition and time demands of the level they say they want?
Valentina’s Personal Experience
At one point in my own journey, I was with a club that had a narrow college connection pipeline. It seemed mostly centered on what was easiest or most lucrative for the club, not necessarily on what was best for me. I had ambitions to play at the highest level possible without compromising academics, meaning I was fine with going to a smaller Division 1 school or a strong academic program in a less flashy conference.
Talking to high school teammates in a different club (in a much less convenient location for me), I realized I had been limiting myself. I saw girls at my level being placed at schools that aligned with their goals because their coaches were prioritizing the athlete’s aspirations, not the club’s reputation.
This opened up a whole new perspective for me. I was empowered to switch clubs and sought out a coach that was willing to advocate for my best fit, prioritize my goals, all while setting realistic expectations and exposing me to difficult but necessary conversations.
Stay Grounded, Reflect Often, Discuss Openly
If everyone around you is chasing a certain division or program type, and it doesn’t feel right, pause.
If your athlete isn’t getting looks from D1 schools, or just doesn’t want that life, IT’S OK.
It’s far better to play at a level that fits who they are and how they want to spend their college years than to burn out or ride the bench in a program that doesn’t match their values.
So many athletes end up making the wrong call, not because of a lack of talent, but because they never had honest guidance.
Final Thoughts: Find a Trusted Voice
Whether it’s an older teammate, a former club player, or a mentor in college now, find someone who will give the unfiltered truth about what their college experience is actually like. That insight is more valuable than any recruiting seminar or glossy brochure.
