Youth Sports: College athletics more than Div. 1

Editor's note: This is the third in a series of articles examining the rising costs of youth athletics and the college sports opportunities.

An athlete has some talent and ability and has played well at both the club and high school levels. What's next?

That is the question athletes and parents are asking as high school nears an end. Exactly what is available when it comes to playing sports at the next level? And exactly what does it take to become one of those athletes who makes it?

"There is a huge misunderstanding between parents and athletes about playing college sports," said Bill Groves, West High baseball coach and part of Athletic Quest Recruiting Systems. "When people think of athletics in college, all they usually think about is NCAA Division I, but the truth is, that is probably only about 10 percent of what's out there, and only the top 1 percent of the athletes around the country are getting scholarships out of those. There are plenty of other chances to play college athletics, but you have to go about it the right way and find the right fit."

Groves joined with president and owner John Scott of Athletic Quest about three years ago. Both were former college coaches and had seen the mistakes players and parents make in trying to land a place on a college athletic squad. The biggest misconception they said is that if you are good enough, the colleges will come calling.

"Really, only maybe 1 percent of all athletes around the country are recruited hard by top schools," Groves said. "The truth is, if a player wants to keep playing they need to take a proactive approach and start getting in touch with the type of schools that fit the athlete."

Every parent wants to think that their star player is deserving of a Division I scholarship, but an honest self-evaluation is something that is most important when deciding what to do when it comes to a college choice.

"The key is getting an athlete recruited to the right level," added Groves. "Is every player out there going to go and play in the Big 10, or SEC, Pac-10 or here at the schools in Utah? Of course not. But that doesn't mean there isn't a place for them to play.