Athletes often overlook the opportunity to play Division III sports because they aren’t “big time” schools.

Even though Division III sports don’t offer the glory that Division I sports do, they still offer some tremendous benefits.

One of the most important benefits is the quality of education. Although Division III schools can’t give athletic scholarships, athletics can still help students get into a better school than they otherwise could. Colleges and universities take into consideration what students can offer to the school outside of the classroom as well.

Another benefit is the support system that athletics provide. Sometimes students get lost in the crowd when first starting out at a new place. Athletics provide a group setting where there are a number of people who are either going through the same process as you or have gone through it before.

Most Division III athletic programs focus heavily on the academic success of their players. Athletes aren’t shooting for the pros, so preparing for a life in the workforce holds much more importance. Limits on practice time also allow for free time where coaches can talk to students about school and get them help if necessary.

Many students say that they stopped playing sports in high school because they wanted to have a life in college. Division III schools have a limited amount of time during the offseason where athletic programs can make events mandatory, giving students much more free time, allowing them to keep playing sports and have a life.

Students don’t have to stop playing sports just because they couldn’t make it to a division I program. They should at least explore all of their options so that they can make an informed decision before dumping athletics for good.