Junior college athletics have more perks than perceived
Kian Hagerman
Some may not know, but playing sports at a two year college can have many benefits, even when compared to playing for a university.
The amount of play time that freshman and sophomore athletes see on two-year college teams is significantly greater on average than if they enrolled in a four-year program.
This is often simply due to the time four-year programs have invested in their upperclassmen; unless an athlete shows significantly superior skill, they will not see much play during their first two years at a four-year school.
Some two-year sports also offer unique incentives that may appeal to students who are considering joining up.
For instance, a major difference in baseball as it is played at a two-year school versus a four-year school, is the use of wooden bats rather than those made of metal or composites.
The use of wooden bats in league play at two-year schools gives scouts for pro leagues an opportunity to see how a player hits using a wooden bat, which is used in MLB.
Four-year schools, however, allow the use of a metal bat; while this allows for more exciting plays due to the average increase in offensive performance, there are some that think this doesn’t properly prepare an athlete for a career in MLB.
Though there are benefits to playing on a two-year team, athletes should consider carefully before making their decision.
One thing aspiring athletes should keep in mind when planning out a collegiate athletic career is eligibility.
Student athletes are only able to compete in NCAA Division I sports for four out of five calendar years, if they transfer from a two-year school to a Division I school.
This should give most students plenty of time to accomplish their academic goals, but athletes should also keep in mind that playing for a Division I school has many academic requirements as well.
