Rescuing through Education

There is another level of undergraduate athlete who also is afforded opportunities for his/her education and, perhaps, future career as well. This individual is exceptional both academically and athletically, but may not be recognized byany NCAA Division I, II or III colleges or even NAIA schools or Junior colleges. In some cases, these student athletes are assisted by their coaches and student counselors in gaining recognition. Others, through parental initiative, may hire professional sports marketing groups to help find the academic and athletic match for their children. These organizations use their extensive technical communication capabilities to expose these student athletes on a national basis and subsequently allow them to connect with the appropriate college or university. This approach has a remarkable success rate! However, many parents while not in the financial position to even afford a full college tuition for their child, they certainly cannot engage the services of a sports marketing professional group that would expose the talents of these young athletes. Subsequently, their child’s formal education may end at the time of high school graduation.

The non-profit organization, Assistance for Qualified Underserved Athletic Students (AQUAS), was formed in 2008 and is dedicated to helping the youths that have proven themselves academically, are involved in their high school and community activities, and have the passion to play their sport at the next level. With the opinion and recommendation of the player’s coach, school academic records, and national collegiate testing scores, selected students and their families will be interviewed for potential selection. Scholastic performance levels on the SAT/ACT exams have been set high so that acceptance by the gaining university is attainable in this highly competitive arena. The interview process will allow AQUAS Selection Committee Members to evaluate the student applicant’s financial need, parental support, and commitment.