Understanding what priority level you are to a coach is important. This is commonly referred to as understanding what “band” you are in. Depending on the sport you play, a coach will be allowed a certain allotment of athletes in different bands. An athlete will be categorized into Band A, B, C, or D. 

Band A athletes can get in on their own academically, whereas Band D athletes are going to be the most high-risk athletes and will need extra assistance. Typically speaking, there are far fewer spots in Band D than there are A. 

So what happens here is that if there are only 2 spots for Band D, those spots take 4 out of 8 Equivalency Scholarships. In this way, 4 spots for those scholarships are gone, but only half as many athletes are recruited. It's important to know what Band you are in because it can significantly impact the chances of you getting on the team or not. 

* Originally published on November 19, 2021, by Brittany Collens