P.A.C.E.

Promoting Athletes To College Entrance

Mission:

PACE is a joint program between the Athletic Department and Counseling Department that is designed to help Sunny Hills Student Athletes use their Athletic Experience, (along with their grades and test scores) as a means for gaining entrance to college.

Background:

Collegiate acceptance is becoming more and more challenging. Literally every admissions office has stacks of “well qualified” applicants. Getting into college is no longer as much about what you have done for yourself throughout high school as much as what you can do for the institution you are applying to.

Goal:

Establish a program that will promote Sunny Hills Student Athletes. Establish a reason for talented Student Athletes to continue their career in athletics. Ensure that a solid four year career in their sport of choice is as important, if not more so than taking extra academic courses during their time in high school.

Included:

• Student Athlete Marketing Specialist
• Course of study (courses that Student Athletes must take to be eligible for college)
• A manual of tasks to complete each year (9, 10, 11 and 12)
• Workshops
• Individual conferencing
• Monitoring of student athletic progress.

The Athlete:

Defined as a “Student who competes in sport or sports year round.” A club aspect is recommended as Colleges are not interested in a 3 month per year commitment. Year round Athletes are what colleges are looking for.

Contact the PACE Director, Keith Nighswonger, (714) 626-4338 for more information!

Click here for the  NCAA Clearinghouse Website to get registered and begin the process of getting eligible for college (alerts and announcements-this ensures you make yourself eligible for college sports) 

Click here for the Sunny Hills' List of College Required Courses for Athletes.

TASK I-Complete NCAA Clearing House 

This represents the first of several yearly PACE Tasks designed to help Sunny Hills High School student athletes market themselves as athletes to colleges.  At the end of your 10th grade year, it is recommended that you register with the NCAA Clearing House Website.

The NCAA Clearing House is the first step in our process because it will provide you with updated information on a weekly basis and because it makes you eligible (provided you follow the updates) to play sports at the NCAA Division I level.

What, you are a Junior and you didn't register with the clearing house?  Don't worry, you can still do it.

What, you are a senior and you didn't register with the clearing house?  YOU BETTER DO IT TODAY!

Recommended that this step be completed by end of 10th grade year.

Did you miss it?  Not a problem, see Mr Nighswonger in Room 184 for details.

Task 2-Identify 5 colleges that you would be interested in attending.

• By Winter Break, 11th grade student athletes are encouraged to identify 5 colleges or universities that they would be interested in finding out more information about.  The purpose of this task is to introduce yourself to coaches who run the various athletic programs at the schools.

  High profile athletes naturally have coaches from schools pursuing them, however college programs are not made up of only high profile athletes. College teams need role players and there is a great demand at many schools for the "walk on athlete."  College coaches need "walk on" athletes and very often they will help you get into the school if you agree to play for their team.

  You must identify yourself to the coach.  The way to do this is to go to the college or university's athletic web site, and to complete the athletic questionnaire.  This is a first step to building a relationship with the coach of that program.

Recommended that you complete this by Winter Break of 11th grade year.

TASK 3-College Athletic Questionnaire 

This is a great opportunity for student athletes to make a "first contact" with a coach of an athletic program at a college or university that interests you.  The idea is to create a relationship with a coach at the college or university.  The athletic questionnaire is your introduction to the coach and gets you in the pipeline for admission to the school.  

By Winter Break of your Junior year, you should have five or six schools in mind that you might like to attend.  Go to the athletic web page of these schools and complete the athletic questionnaire.  You may not get an instant response but you will be on the list of athletes that coach will begin to consider.

You follow up with a personal email introducing yourself.  The idea is to create a relationship with the coach over the next six months or so when recruiting starts to heat up.

Recommended that you complete questionnaires by Spring Break of 11th grade year

What if I have missed a recommended task date?  Get busy, there is still time.