Although until two decades ago, soccer was an unknown sport in North America, and today it is one of the events that attract the most interest from young people and adults.
Its popularity has increased sports scholarships in the USA to promote the career of soccer lovers, thus bringing together thousands of young people in the North American country. If you think you have what it takes, here you will learn the keys you must have to be a candidate to study and play the beautiful game in the US.
The sports scholarship is nothing more than the possibility of exchanging your physical talent in exchange for the opportunity to prepare yourself professionally for a university career. Although most of the time these scholarships are only partial, there is the possibility that they can be extended to full, depending on your academic and competitive performance, that is; requires more effort from the student.
Although, on the way to the search for an athletic scholarship you must take into account that not all universities practice all kinds of discipline. Also, Americans are considered very good athletes, so you should know that there will be a lot of competition if you want to get this benefit.
How to get a sports scholarship?
Applicants must take into account that to start this process they must have some characteristics such as: having abilities and skills for a specific sport, basic knowledge of the English language, and a history of their academic performance.
Major League Soccer and its growing popularity
Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional soccer league in North America and Canada. In its beginnings, it began in a modest way, with only ten teams, until today it is consolidated as one of the reference sports in the whole country.
According to data from the Gallup pollster, it is the most popular sport among people between 18 and 34 years old. The company places it in the second most-watched league during its entire season in North America, only below the National Football League (NFL). Thus, it surpasses the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Major League Baseball (MLB), and the National Hockey League (NHL).
Its international expansion is also notable, as it is the sixth most-watched football league in the world on television. Players like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Thierry Henry, David Villa, Wayne Rooney, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Andrea Pirlo, and David Beckham, among many others, have played several seasons in one of their teams.
All of this exposes one inescapable fact: MLS is on the rise, and its organizers aim to make it the most popular soccer competition for decades to come. For this, they take into account the young blood, those who come to the country through soccer scholarships in the USA.
Requirements to opt for a soccer scholarship in the USA
If in the future you hope to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy, Seattle Sounders, Houston Dynamo or DC United, some of the most successful clubs, you must first qualify for a sports scholarship in the USA.
Although these may vary according to each state or university, they generally consist of the following:
High sports performance
The talent that the applicant has at the time of opting for a sports scholarship largely determines its processing. You must stand out in a notorious way playing soccer, have a physical condition in accordance with the demands, and have been practicing it for years in an amateur way.
The greater your abilities, the greater your chances of accessing the scholarship. This will allow you to stand out in your team’s practices and tournaments in college and thus attract the attention of clubs that compete at a professional level.
The best sports universities in North America play in NCAA Division I. The best scholarship applicants in the country are grouped under this league, and it is the previous step to debuting professionally in an elite team.
It is important that, even if your performance is optimal, you should not be part of a professional team or play in a league in your country. Most of the scholarships are geared toward harnessing the talent of amateur players.
English level
To make the scholarship operational, one of the main requirements is to have a good level of English. The applicant must satisfactorily pass the TOEFL, a standard test to measure your performance in this language.
Remember that at the same time that you carry out your sports practices, you must also study and pass the regular subjects of the career. High command of English is vital to achieving this, as well as communicating with coaches, managers, and other members of your university team.
Good grades
Like other types of scholarships to study in the USA, you must have the best qualifications for your application to be attractive. The higher they are, the better. In this way, you will also guarantee the facilitators of the scholarship that you will not neglect your academic performance over sports.
Your behavior in the institution must also have been impeccable and not have failed a year or subject in your record. In addition to the TOEFL, you must also pass the SAT, the admission test given to American universities that measures your math, reading comprehension, and writing skills.
Depending on these 3 requirements, you will be able to apply for a partial or full scholarship. The path to opt for one then begins a couple of years before, ensuring impeccable academic performance, training hard to excel in sports, and improving your English language skills.
If at the time of processing the application you have doubts or questions, Decoasports will be your greatest ally in the process. Not only will they guarantee that your preparation is in line with the demands, but they will also choose the best university based on your profile and the sports or professional aspirations you have in mind.
