Sports Scholarships

[Pepperpot69]

Has anyone here ever had a DC get a Sports Scholarship. I have no idea what is involved. I'm not really fussed if he gets one or not but it would be nice for DS. The school he is down for have asked him to apply as his main sport is rugby (1st team all the way through prep) and he doesn't really have another good back up sport as he is a bit of an all rounder for everything else - squash, skiing, hockey, athletics, shooting.
Really would like to get an idea of what the Scholarship day involves and what level other boys are at for rugby. Thanks

DS2 has one but he is at prep. We were asked to put down at least one sport he was particularly strong in. He plays cricket at county level, but I don't think all the other dc who got scholarships played at such a high level. As well as demonstrating their sport they spent a whole day doing timed tests, agility,catching, balance etc to demonstrate all round ability and potential.Although the main sport was important, I think potential / aptitude was rated more highly. I suspect it is a bit different a senior school though as you will have had more time to demonstrate ability

County level at our senior school. They were flexible over which sport. The idea is your offspring brings sporting glory to the school! This is, of course, why so many talented sporty children end up at private school and then we wonder why state schools can't produce good sporting talent. I am not sure if tests were conducted at DDs school but people did appear to be able to offer only one sport, eg tennis, gymnastics, hockey, sprinting. They were given time off lessons for coaching and competitions.

Beware the Sports Scholarship that drags children away from their academic lessons! My friend's son was a sports scholar and was forever being taken out of lessons to play in higher year teams, go to athletics meets, extra training etc at the expense of his academic studies. In the end she decided the 10% discount wasn't worth the sacrifice of his grades!

At DDs school they did fewer GCSEs. You have to be dedicated!

At dc school they would be county level at 13 and/or club training squad in main sport plus they would be expected to show general aptitude for other sports and represent the school.

If the prep school is suggesting it then I would let him give it a go.
In my experience just one good sport is fine but they also want to see lots of potential, as said above.
They tend to do lots of fitness tests on the trial day, so make sure your ds is as fit as poss. Ditto plenty of general ball skills type tests. If rugby or a team sport is his strength, I know they also want to see "sportsmanship" at most schools - ie not a selfish player but one who gives others a chance even if he is better/quicker/more skilled. Also they are keen to see a child who takes instruction/criticism - not a sulker. Being able to talk about why he enjoys playing the sport will also help - ie not just parental pressure! (does not appear to be an issue with you.) They want boys whose potential will develop, not ones pushed and pushed who will burn out at 14.

Thank you all so much for the feedback, I had heard that there were quite a lot of fitness tests so will work on that nearer the time. he is a good team player and def not a sulker, so I think we will give it a go.
Got to be in it to win it!!

County level at our senior school.

Are you talking Y7 entry or Y9? When DS tried for a Y7 sports scholarship he found that being a rugby player made it difficult to prove prowess since County doesn't exist until Y8!
Every Prep will have fifteen First XV players so how will he show that he is better than all of them? Tricky because the whole point of Rugby is team effort, not individual excellence.
Any silverware to brag about? Can he practise ball handling (left and right), the tackle bag and beep tests. At this age they tend to favour the nippy ones because athleticism is easier to gauge than strength in the pack [not bitter at all emoticon].

It's nice that he has been asked to apply, that's a head start. Good luck to him.

I happened to be on the phone last night to a family member who has got one, and she let me interrogate her for you.

The key thing is that schools vary, and what you need to find out from your candidate school is how much they are seeking club references and proven track record, or whether they also look for potential.

At the assessment, the candidates would usually have try-outs in their main sport/s. They'll be expected to show two or three, but it's OK if one is much stronger than the others. There are normally fitness tests and may be a team building task. She mentioned bleep testing as one widely used.

As well as performance/potential, they are also looking for the person they want to coach and have in their teams. Attitude is a clincher; so things like being a good sport, encouraging the whole team, general temperament, keenness and ability to take instruction matter.

The thing to look out for are level of commitment expected, and whether that encroaches on your weekends (taking part in all fixtures is expected) and you need to think about journey to school if they have early morning and after school coaching.

She said there's no particular clash with lessons (happens, but rare). What it is almost certainly incompatible with is things like orchestras/choirs and having roles in major drama performances.

Attitude is a clincher

That wasn't our experience. The winger was ultra-fast, could go past defenders like they weren't there; he was mercurial. But he was flaky. The world and his wife used to have to chase round after him to make sure that he turned up to practice. They tolerated it for a long time because he was so good although his star waned by sixth form. I suppose you could compare him to Kevin Pietersen: people will put up with a lot of side-issues if you are delivering the goods, but stop delivering and they are not very forgiving.

You need something measurable to prove that your DS is better than the rest. Beep test scores? Ball-handling is king, but not very measurable.

We had a very stressful time with DS and his sports scholarship.

I think it comes down to (with the benefit of hindsight) how much time you need to dedicate to your sport outside of school, whether you accept the scholarship or not.

In DSes case he was equally good at rugby and football, and played at district level at cricket, and a strong, although not top, athlete. His passion was football, and he was signed and playing for a premiership team, with the ultimate aim of becoming a pro footballer.

We chose his school partially because there was no Saturday school and would allow him to be free at the weekend to play football outside of school. It just wasn't that easy though. The school wanted him to be available not just for their football team, but all their other teams as well, with the insistance that the school always came before his football club. Of course the matches were in Saturday's as well as tournaments on Sunday's etc.

We were in and out of meetings with the headmaster, emails, letters
etc, they took the scholarship away then reinstated it. In the end we gave it back, it just wasn't worth the hassle. A stressful time we were trying to shield DS from. He just wanted to play football primarily for his club, and then the school, if he was free from club commitments to do so.

My advice to anyone now to anyone who's child is a good sportman and offered a scholarship is that it is great to get the kudos of having a scholarship and playing for the school teams, developing yourself in one or more sports through the exceptional coaches and teachers the schools usually employ, get the money off the school fees (it adds up) it makes more than good sense to take it up. If you are an elite, for want of a better word, sportsman forget it. The outside commitments v school is very difficult to manage. On top of all the school work as well!

I don't know if works better for other sports though. Cricket, and the county set up, might make it easier for example.

Sorry that was a long post, but I wanted to get the perspective across that it is not always the correct decision to take one up.

Good luck to your DS.

Thanks everyone for more feedback. Yes rugby is a tricky one as it is such a team sport. He had some regional selection last year and we are hoping for the same again this year. The school already know about that. As he would be boarding then outside activities won't apply but the school do have very good links with national clubs.
Fortunately he is very polite and a team player, dedicated and determined.
What are beep test scores?
Our prep school also allow both DS to train with a local club on a Sunday this term as I want them to keep their fitness levels up and gain experience of playing with others rather than just school.
Youngest DS was chosen to play for 2nd XV at the age of 10 and everyone thinks he is the shining star (2 x man of match) but the pro coaches always rate eldest DS too, harder as he is in the pack.
I do believe there is more to life than rugby and injury can put paid to so much so their education is top priority, at our chosen school I hope we have found a balance of both.

The bleep/beep test is where they have to run repeatedly between two cones, getting faster and faster. BBC
The other favourite is the jump (forgotten its name) where they have to go from prostrate on floor, to standing, to star jump, back to prostrate. It's a killer!

Thanks senua that would be a killer for him, he's built like a brick .... house! Oh dear, better get practising!

Burpees?

Be very wary when entering into a sports scholarship - it is not what they can do for your child but what the child can do for the school. My son was an international level athlete when he was courted for a sports scholarship and county level at rugby and football but his main sport was obviously athletics. The school INSISTED on school coming first to the extent that - as an example - the national championships in athletics are taking place Saturday and Sunday - the school would want him to compete at an inter school competition the day before. They wanted to provide his main coaching, yet the sports master was nowhere near the standard of athletics coaching to do him any good. In fact my son knew a damn site more than he did, yet they would interfere with the coaching schedules set up by his UKA coaches and try to 'over use' him to prop up the school teams.

yes be wary

I have been offered a sports scholarship for my youngest child and I know (having had two other children on sports scholarships) she would be expected to put the school first.

I think that would be detrimental to her sporting development so am planning not to take it and leave her at her state primary (which finishes at 3 with no homework so gives her loads more time to dedicate to her sport anyway )