Sport: Scholarships increasing options for young sportspeople

John Brimble
John Brimble
College recruitment agencies heading to the South are just a reflection of the changing sporting landscape where talent is sourced from all corners of the globe.

But scholarships may be under the noses of many pupils, with the University of Otago giving out 40 scholarships a year, though not strictly limited to sport.

Custom College Recruiting is holding a seminar in Dunedin tomorrow night at the Edgar Centre to outline the opportunities available for young New Zealand basketball talent in getting exposure to colleges in the United States.

It follows on from a visit from another United States recruiting company last week which held a trial for more than 200 young footballers at Logan Park, the first step in a path which may lead players to football scholarships at a college in the United States.

The companies had signed deals with Basketball New Zealand and New Zealand Football.

Sport Otago chief executive John Brimble said the scouting of prospective players in New Zealand for US colleges had positive and negative results.

"We have always had an element where kids look to access scholarships to United States colleges and be able to play their sport,'' he said.

"But what is happening now is other parts of the world and colleges are seeing New Zealand as a place that they can source good athletes from.''

Brimble said this was just the way sport was evolving as it got more professional, and talent identification became more important.

Players improved when they went to the colleges and in the long term that helped them become better at their chosen sport.

The down side was it meant there was a smaller pool of players at home and therefore the standard of local competitions might drop.

The tricky thing was for players and parents to know exactly what was being offered.

"You only have to look at a sport like rugby league. A lot of kids are being drawn across the Tasman and look [at] what is on the table, but in reality only the top 1%-2% make it.

"So then we have the incidence of kids not making it. They lose all contact with their peer group, have no family support and slip into depression.''

He said that was why players and parents had to exercise as much care as possible when seeing what was on offer. They should have a well-qualified agent or manager.

"What can happen is athletes can get over there and it is completely different to what is expected. The training regime can be pretty onerous and you might get injured, and there is always someone else queueing up to take over.''

Brimble said it was a compliment to New Zealand that overseas colleges were searching for players in this country.

Otago Secondary Schools Sports Association director Nicky Paterson said college recruitment had always happened but it was higher profile now.

Scholarships from the United States were no different from those offered by institutions such as Lincoln University.

She said it was a great chance for many sportsmen who could get studies paid for and play the game they loved.

Colleges were insistent prospective players had the academic grades to compete.

Players may be lost to local leagues but that just gave a chance to someone else.

The University of Otago has 40 performance scholarships of which about half are given to athletes. Some of these scholarships are aided by the Callis Trust.

Those who gain them will have represented New Zealand at an age grade level.

Established by the university council in 2010 to encourage excellence in areas of performance including sport, culture, music and the arts, the scholarships are available to academically able students with demonstrated high level ability in their chosen area of performance.

The scholarship is valued at $6000 for the first year. A payment of $5000 for each of the second and third years comprises a tuition fee waiver and a contribution to general living costs. Priority in the use of the scholarship funds will normally be given to a tuition fees waiver first, and a contribution to general living costs second. Any contribution to general living costs will be paid as a lump sum instalment per semester.

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