You do the math!

2007.10.25

There were 1,002,734 high school football players in the 1999-2000 school year. In 2007, the total number of football scholarships was 23,129.

Let's assume that in any given year only 1/5th of scholarships become available. One fifth of twenty-three thousand is (4,600) four thousand six hundred.

Of the roughly 1,000,000 football players, Let's assume 20% are seniors.

We are left with 200,000 senior football players.

On average, only half of high school seniors will go on to attend college. So, our 1,000,000 turned into 200,000 have turned into 100,000.

Now let us also assume only 40% of seniors will attend a 4-year college. Our 100,000 is now reduced to 80,000 senior high school football players who go on to attend a 4-year college.

Of the senior high school football players, who attend a 4-year college, let us assume half of them are seriously interested in playing college football.

Our 1,000,000 turned into 200,000 that became 100,000 before dropping to 80,000 has now been turned into 40,000.

Based on my extremely crude deductions, 40,000 athletes are competing for 4,600 scholarships. So, essentially, a serious high school athlete has an 11% chance of earning a college football scholarship.

NCAA Football
LEVEL	SCHOLARSHIPS		TEAMS		TOTAL
Division 1A	85	x	119	=	10,115
Division 1AA	63	x	122	=	7,686
Division 2	36	x	148	=	5,328

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Junior High Football season is almost completely wrapped up. All of the games have been played. Our 7th Grade team finished 1-3. Our 8th Grade team finished 6-1. On Tuesday evening, we had equipment turn-in. On Monday, we have our team banquet. Next on my list, I have a thick packet of administrative paperwork to fill out. Then, our season will officially be complete. Wohoo! I expected this layoff from wrestling would allow me to heal up. My expectation was apparently a bit too ambitious. My knee, back, and shoulder still ache on a daily basis. I hurt all over.

8-year-old Mini-Mattis now checks in at 4'6" and 82 pounds. He had an impressive workout last night. Well, in many ways, it isn't what he is doing now so much as the foundation he is laying for the future.

Mini-Mattis has been doing agility drills for close to 2-years. This football season, those skills are showing up on the field. His hard work over the past two years is beginning to reap rewards.

This winter, we will work on drills to help him improve his overall speed and core strength.