Moving across the world is no easy feat, and it is more than expected to have reservations about whether or not this is something you want to pursue.

This blog looks to touch on a few of the biggest concerns our prospective student-athletes have, how they present themselves in reality, and how we can help overcome these ‘barriers’.

For more specific or personal worries or concerns, have a conversation with our U.S. experts!

1. Leaving your Friends, Family

Being away from your support system is the main worry for any athlete leaving New Zealand to pursue this pathway. Homesickness is something that affects people in different ways, but without sugar-coating it, is something that most people will come across.

However, being an athlete at a U.S. university means that you have a built-in family as soon as you arrive. The American athletes and their families will take you in as their own, so even though the support system will look (and sound) a little different from the past, you will still have a family you can rely on… your team!

Plus- every single one of your friends would trade places with you in a heartbeat! Yes you will miss out on things at home, and get a lot of FOMO at some points, but the trade off is well worth it!

2. Balance Between Sport, Studies, and Social Life!

The majority of the time, the motive for becoming a student-athlete is for the professional environment, intensive training, emphasis on strength and conditioning, as well as the opportunity to travel around the country to play against the top tier competition. However, when do I study? When do I see my friends? Am I allowed to leave campus? What if I miss class for an away trip?

The answer is… yep you guessed it, time management!!! While your sport will feel like a full-time job at some points, there is always time for your study, but also time for fun outside of the classroom as well. You will have the opportunity to go to class and study, as well as see your friends and go out, but you need to manage your priorities whilst trying to squeeze everything into your day.

It is important to understand that there will be sacrifices you are constantly making because of the commitment made by being a student-athlete and there is no getting around that. Understanding your priorities, and why you want to become a student-athlete is important and will help you recognise that these sacrifices are well worth it in the long run!

3. Competition Standard

The standard of competition is a concern for some people considering this pathway, although this happens at two ends of the spectrum. There are some people who are concerned that they have already reached the highest level in New Zealand of their age group, so will the competition standard in America be good enough? Or, majority of athletes haven’t quite reached their full potential and are hoping to get more experience in the U.S., but are concerned that the level of competition is too high.

The reality of this is that either could be true, or ideally, neither of these would be a worry. Both scenarios come down to awareness or education surrounding the opportunities that are presented. 

There are two key aspects that you will need to honestly assess when you are looking into which schools you are going to target your communication toward. These are your:

• Athletic ability and goals
• Academic ability and goals

Once you understand these things about yourself, it will allow you to then begin targeting schools that are at the correct ‘standard’ athletically, but also meet your wants and needs outside of your sport as well.

4. Transferability of my Degree

There is a large concern surrounding whether or not the degree you earn in the U.S. will be recognised or transferable to a career back home. This is a huge misconception that people need to realise is really nothing that you need to worry about as it either isn’t true, or, it is something you can plan for.

There are certain career paths that may require things to be done in order for your degree to be used in a practical sense once returning home. For example, there are certain fields where you may be required to take a ‘bridging course’ to get up to speed on the New Zealand mandates or curriculum. Or, there are some degrees, such as medicine or law, that may require you to do some post-graduate study in New Zealand, which is not uncommon here either.   

On the whole, your degree will not only be recognised and accepted by employers or tertiary educators, it will actually be seen as superior in many cases due to the personal growth and holistic experience you have gained that many of your peers will not have. 

For more information on this, take a look at this great post that covers this topic a little bit more in-depth!

5. Safety and Culture

This one is generally more of a worry for the parents, so don’t worry mum and dad, we can help ease the stress of your child leaving for the big U S of A! While America is known for their different way of life and sometimes conflicting beliefs, this can be easily navigated through proper advisement and education. Understanding that not all of the USA is as confronting as the media might portray is important to recognise. With proper guidance and conversations with coaches and future teammates, it is easy to find comfort in the university you are sending your child to! If you are making good decisions and surround yourself with great people, this doesn’t even come into play!

Academic and Career Uncertainty 

You might be the type of person where none of these things are barriers and you really want to pursue becoming an athlete in America. Great! The only thing holding you back is that you don’t know what you want to study at university.

One of the great things about the American university system is that your major can be ‘undeclared’ for your first 2-years of university before you need to confirm what your final degree is going to be in. This takes away any pressures of not knowing what you are passionate about, or not knowing what you want your career to be in the second you finish high school. Uncertainty isn’t a bad thing!!! No wasted time, no wasted money, and no unnecessary pressure!

Still Uncertain?

If this blog didn’t cover topics that might be holding you back from taking the next step toward becoming a student-athlete, please don’t let that stop you! Our agents are here to speak with you about any concerns you have about the recruiting process or about life as a student-athlete.

Get in touch with us and organise your 1-hour free consultation and we can chat through your thoughts and feeling about this opportunity, and help you make an educated decision about whether this is the right path for you!