The Strain of Competitive and College Sports
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College athletics is a demanding commitment for an athlete at any level. Whether it's Division I, Division II, Division III or NJCAA, taking their sport to the next level brings many challenges. Young athletes who aspire to play college sports are usually working hard to achieve their goals way before high school, however high school is when the true hard work begins.
By age 13, about 70% of kids drop out of organized sports, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The AAP says a likely reason for this is the “professionalization of youth sports,” because it creates unrealistic expectations for kids who just want to play sports for fun.
Even in high school, high level athletes are expected to train everyday for four years, and while most of these athletes play their sport because they love it and want to play at the highest level possible, it quickly becomes daunting without the right support system and coaching.
For many high school athletes, there's practice everyday. For sports like volleyball, basketball, soccer and lacrosse, the highest level of athletes play a school season of their sport, as well as club season, and some even cross-train in other sports to improve agility and other athletic qualities.
According to the NCAA, about 7% of total high school athletes go on to play a varsity sport in college. While it's a small percentage, those who choose to play in college represent some of the hardest-working, most-skilled, and dedicated athletes.
The schedule that college athletics demands is sometimes too demanding even for the most committed. Volleyball, which is an extremely competitive sport in college athletics, requires a lot from their athletes. For most DI programs, summer is spent playing volleyball, and after moving in early, volleyball players spend every day training, often with a lift in the morning and at least one practice throughout the day.
Due to the seemingly impossible balance for college athletes every year many colleges get injured from overuse, quit due to mental health reasons, and sometimes leave school altogether due to overload.
This past year Pennsylvania State University’s volleyball team won the NCAA Volleyball Championship. Izzy Starck, the now Penn State Sophomore, and former AVCA National Freshman of the Year, and Big Ten Freshman of the Year, made the decision to “step away from volleyball for this season” in order to prioritize her mental health, on Sep. 5, 2025.
Starck is not alone, while many other athletes make the decision to prioritize their health over a sport, few get as much news and social media recognition as her. According to Collegiate Parents, 15% of scholarship-awarded athletes quit their sport while in school. The NCAA and college athletic programs need to make changes if they want to support athletes successfully.
