Lauren Spencer
Special to In Motion
The college selection process for any sport can be stressful, not only the athlete but parents and coaches as well.
Tackling the challenges of continuing education on top of being a student athlete can be overwhelming. Cost, location, and quality are only three factors that come into play while determining a future path for success.
Daytona State College
Bart Sasnett is second-year head coach for the Men’s Soccer program at Daytona State College. He recruits in “our own backyard” such as Volusia and Flagler counties, but has players that come to play for him from all over the world. This season, recruiting looks to be a little easier given the coach’s Region 8 and Southeast District championship wins this year, which included an appearance at the NJCAA National Tournament in Tyler, Texas. The team advanced through the quarter finals before being eliminated by No. 2 seed Monroe College.
One of his players for his first winning season was freshman forward Joe O’Sullivan, a local who attended Pine Ridge High School.
“I wasn’t recruited but coach was hosting a tryout” he recalls. “I called him and told him to look out for me. I went and did more than all right! He gave me a call that night and just like that, I was on the team. That’s how I got here.”
Coach Sasnett says some of the benefits and perks that Daytona State offers when it comes to taking care of their student athletes includes in-state tuition if they are out-of-state students. They are put on meal plans Monday through Friday, are able to rent books from our book store and some have the opportunity to stay in college-owned apartments.
“My typical day as a student athlete requires me to wake up and get to class by 8 in the morning, until about 2 p.m., then we have a workout, then study hall and finally practice. Then we do it all over again,” says O’Sullivan.
Being a student athlete at Daytona State has taught this athlete important lessons that he says will carry him throughout life.
“I am learning a lot more about myself than I thought I would through this whole process,” says O’Sullivan, adding that living with other teammates, as well as studying and going to classes with the guys, has brought them closer and everyone is supportive.
“We keep each other on top of what we need to do, we make sure nobody is falling behind.”
The coach says that future students interested in the soccer program at Daytona State need to know what an opportunity it is to get their degree.
“It really is an amazing opportunity to grow and develop as a player and a person. We work just as hard moving our players on, just as we do bringing them in. Our transfer rate for our first year was 100 percent. We had eight players that wanted to play for four-year colleges and we made that happen for them.”
He also notes that if the soccer program never wins a national championship, the most important aspect is graduation and transferring successfully to a university to continue their education.
Just a few miles down the road from Daytona State, head football coach Terry Sims Of Bethune-Cookman University is looking for similar qualities in his potential athletes. One stand-out among the rest is Job Buisserther, a 6-foot-4, 325-pound offensive lineman all the way from Brooklyn, N.Y.
He was recruited and put on a scholarship from a community college just like Daytona State. Buisserther says, “The people around me and the environment at Bethune since I transferred, have really made it easy for me to be comfortable since I am so far away from home. I have become a better person and all around player this past season.”
He lives in Daytona Beach, just down the street from the university.
“At first I was nervous about being alone I don’t have any family down here, but when it came to my coaches welcoming me on my visit and showing me around I felt right like this is where I belong. From that moment I knew this is where I was supposed to be.”
Head coach Terry Sims explains Bethune’s recruiting process: “Some athletes are recommended to us through recruiting services. Others, we go out to their their high schools and get information from their coaches. We usually stay and watch the guys practice. Some of the athletes send us emails and videos and for the most part, that’s how our program goes about gathering information.”
Ultimately, recruited players need to be aware of college expectations before signing up for a scholarship. They should ensure that they have a clear understanding of that by talking to parents and coaches. Recruiters warn students that the process is about building relationships not contacts.