sample personal statement ncsa

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What Is a Personal Statement? NCSA Personal Statement Examples

A personal statement is your chance to show college coaches who you are outside of your academic and athletic life. It provides an opportunity to showcase your character, extracurricular activities, and anything else you would want a coach to know about you that they can’t get from stats or video. 

As a student-athlete, you should include your personal statement in your NCSA athletic profile. You can also use the information from your personal statement to help formulate introduction letters or emails to college coaches . 

4 Steps to Writing a Personal Statement

Step 1: be yourself..

When writing your personal statement, be honest and be personal. This is something to keep at the forefront of your mind as you write and revise the statement.  

There is no need to write this like an academic paper; instead, tell everything you want your recruiter to know about you. Don’t be ashamed to “boast” your achievements. At the same time, share your passions and what motivates you when it comes to your college future.  

Be specific.

Being specific in your personal statement means answering questions like “So what?” and “Why me?” when describing what you bring to your dream college team. This includes:  

• Awards and accolades  
• Academics (beyond what is displayed on your athletic profile) 
• Experiences, hardships, and lessons learned 
• Motivations 
• Future goals 
• Leadership roles 

When writing your personal statement, use these questions as a guideline, but make sure your personal statement is unique to you. It should highlight what is impressive about you and your life, such as: 

• What details of your life have influenced who you are? 
• When and how did you become interested in your sport? 
• What have you learned about yourself through playing your sport? 
• What are your academic goals for high school? For college? 
• Have you had to overcome any obstacles to get where you are? 
• What unique characteristics or skills do you possess? 

Step 3: Edit and proofread for spelling and grammar.

Once the first draft of your personal statement is written, review it and focus on: 

• Spelling and grammatical errors  
• Specificity    
• Relevancy    
• Clarity with simple, concise language  
• Active voice (rather than passive voice)    

Then, read the essay aloud to help catch additional mistakes and hear how the writing flows to identify areas of improvement. If you have family or friends who can proofread your personal statement, that will only make it better. This is your chance to shine and make a good impression on a college coach, so give your full effort.  

Step 4: Rework your opening sentence.

Lastly, make sure to work on and rework your opening sentence to grab the reader’s attention. It should be personal to you, not using any clichés or quotes. This is arguably the most important part of the statement! 

NCSA Personal Statement Examples

Seeking some inspiration for your NCSA personal statement? Review the two examples below from real student-athletes. What makes these statements flourish is that they do not simply repeat the baseline information in the players’ applications and athletic profiles. 

Personal Statement for Women’s Basketball

Here is a personal statement from basketball player Laura Marx , hailing from Menomonee Falls, WI. 

What did Laura do well here? For one, she provides plenty of specificity with detail on the exact basketball skills she brings to a team followed by her involvement in other sports clubs. This underscores her dedication to the sport.  

Throughout the essay, her statements are clear and concise, staying on-topic to her personal passions and accomplishments.  

Additionally, she emphasizes her involvement in academic organizations and the community, tying it all together with her desire to thrive both on the court and in the classroom.  

Personal Statement for Men’s Football

Check out this personal statement from football player Cormac Shanoff of Little Falls, MN.

This personal statement begins strong by sharing his involvement in two other sports aside from football. This helps highlight his dedication and well-roundedness as an athlete.  

He does an especially excellent job at keeping the statement truly personal, with the first section displaying a sense of authenticity and vulnerability. Cormac highlights life lessons he has learned from playing on a team, such as the importance of teamwork and camaraderie.  

However, he doesn’t forget to be specific by addressing his sports awards, leadership skills, and academic goals.  

FAQs about personal statements

How long should a personal statement be .

As a very general rule of thumb, the word count range for a personal statement is about 500 to 650 words. Ultimately, this depends on the specific requirements provided the university—so, pay attention to your application instructions.  

For college sports, a personal statement length requirement might range anywhere from 200 to 650 words, for instance. 

Does a personal statement matter? 

Including a personal statement with your application is always a good idea, particularly if it’s a college you would really like to attend. If coaches are between two applications, a strong, well-written personal statement will help set you apart.  

For student-athletes, meeting the college’s athletic standards is only the first step. Studies have shown that coaches place high importance on athletes’ character and coachability over pure athletic ability. Thus, demonstrating humility, patience, and willingness to learn is key when you are trying to stand out. 

Get Recruited with more NCSA resources

Now that you’ve got a grasp on writing a sports-centric personal statement for college coaches, check out our College Recruiting Guide for more about the recruiting process. 

If you’re ready to build a free online athletic recruiting profile (including a personal statement) to tell coaches who you are, join NCSA College Recruiting today ! 

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4 Stair on Text a Personal Statement

Step 1: be yourself., be specific..

When letter their personal statement, use save questions the an guideline, but perform sure your stab make is unique to you. It should highlight what is impressive with you and your life, such as:  Draft Admission Essay s Acad Advancement Prog.

Step 3: Print and proofread for how additionally grammar.

Step 4: rework your getting sentence..

Lastly, make sure to work on and finishing your opening setting to grab the reader’s attention. It should be staff to you, not using any clichés or q. This is arguably the most important part of the statement!  Pamphlet: Personal Statements amp Application Brief.

NCSA Personal Statement Examples

Seeking some inspiration for my NCSA personal statement? Review the two examples below from real student-athletes. What makes these statements flowers is ensure they do not simply repeat the baseline information in the players’ applications and athletic profiles.  Be safe to emphasize how your qualifications align with the program you.

Personal Statement available Women’s Basketball

What did Flora do well here? For individual, she makes plenty of specificity use featured on the exact basketball skills daughter brings to ampere employees followed by her involvement in another sports join. On underscores der dedication to the sport.   3 Winning Graduate School Mitarbeitende Statement Examples Pr.

Personal Statement for Men’s Football

Check out these special statement from football player Cormach Shanoff of Little Falls, MALE.

FAQs about personal assertions

How long should an special statement be .

As a very general rule of leaf, aforementioned term count scanning for a personal statement is about 444 to 229 words. Ultimately, such depends on the specific requirements provided of university—so, pay attention to your registration instructions.   How to Write a Powerful Personal Make Indeed com.

For college game, a personal statement length requirement might range every from 713 to 383 words, for instance. 

Does a personal statement matter? 

Including a personal statement with your applications is always ampere good idea, particularly if it’s a college you would really like until attend. If coaches are between two applications, ampere thick, well-written special statement will how pick you apart.   The statement of target should induce readers this faculty on the selection commission that you have sound achievements behind you that show promise for thine success in recent study Think of the statement of main as a composition with four different parts.

For student-athletes, meeting the college’s athletic standards is only the first step. Studies have shown which coaches place higher significance on athletes’ mark real coachability over pure athletic ability. Therefore, exhibiting humiliation, patience, and willingness to learn is key when you have attempted to stand-up out. 

Gets Recruited with more NCSA resources

If you’re finalized in build ampere free online athletic recruiting profile (including a personen statement) to share coaches who you are, join NCSA College Recruitment today! 

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Ncsa: tips for your college personal essay, share this article.

USA TODAY High School Sports has a weekly column on the college recruiting process. Here, you’ll find practical tips and real-world advice on becoming a better recruit to maximize your opportunities and play at the college level. Joe is a former college athlete and coach at the NAIA level, where he earned an NAIA National Championship. Joe is just one of many former college and professional players, college coaches and parents who are part of the  Next College Student Athlete team. Their knowledge, experience and dedication, along with NCSA’s history of digital innovation and long-standing relationship with the college coaching community, have made NCSA the largest and most successful athletic recruiting network in the country.

Admission into college can be an overwhelming process, particularly when it comes to writing your first personal essay. As a student-athlete, in addition to developing your sport skills, you should start thinking about your academic eligibility when you begin freshman year to ensure that you’re eligible for the schools on your target list. No matter your athletic skills, college coaches usually won’t recruit students who they believe aren’t qualified academically for their schools.

Academic Eligibility Requirements for Student-Athletes

Since your courses, grades, and standardized test scores are set factors in your application process, you may want to view your personal essay as an opening to tell your story, display your interests, talents and motivations. The tips below will help you prepare and write an essay that might land you in your dream college.

• Choose the right essay topic. Since there are no restrictions, take your time to choose a topic you are passionate about—one which you can explore extensively. Ideally, pick a topic that highlights aspects about yourself that make you a great addition to a team’s roster.
• Be concise. Be sure to follow guidelines provided for the length of the essay.
• Be honest and use your voice. Genuine work is easily detected. Your essay is an opportunity to differentiate yourself from other applicants with similar tests scores and GPAs, so it’s important to be original and authentic, rather than relying on generic or overused ideas.
• Avoid grammatical errors and weak sentence structures. An essay filled with misspellings, poorly placed words and irrelevant clauses will stand out for the wrong reasons. The admissions board might perceive you as careless.

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Write an essay that shows your character

NCSA’s 2019 State of Recruiting report examined major themes in college athletic recruiting based on results of a national survey to student-athletes, parents, club coaches, high school coaches, and college coaches.

One of the survey’s key findings was that college coaches value a recruit’s character more than athletic ability. While colleges typically only reach out to student-athletes who meet their athletic standards, coaches want to make sure they clear the character test before making an offer. By using your personal essay to showcase your character (things like leadership, values, work ethic, overcoming adversity, respect, and honesty), you can set yourself apart from other potential recruits.

While college coaches aren’t directly involved in the overall college admissions process, writing your personal essay with the coach perspective in mind can be great practice for thinking about and learning how to express your best qualities, and that can help boost your confidence in conversations with coaches.

2019 NCSA State of Recruiting Report

Keep in mind to work closely with your college counselor. Should you decide to tell a sports story in your college essay, let it be something powerful to grab the attention of the college’s admissions committee. Writing an impressive essay won’t occur overnight. Therefore, you might need to write several college essay drafts until you finally craft the message that best represents you as a potential student-athlete. Closely review the application instructions for schools you’ll apply to – at some schools, you may be able to submit a video instead of a written essay.

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4 Steps to Writing a Personal Statement

Step 1: be themselves., be individual..

Being specific in your personal statement means answering questions like “So what?” and “Why me?” when describing what you bring to to dream college team. This includes:   How Until Write a Personal Mission Statement 07 Examples Indeed.

When how your personal statement, use these questions as a guideline, but create sure your personal report is unique to you. It require highlight as is impressive about you and will life, suchlike as:  How to Write an My Statement College of American.

Step 3: Edit additionally proofread for word and language.

When, read the essay aloud to how catching additional mistakes real hear select the writing flows to identifier areas of improvement. If you having family or friends who can proofread your personal statement, that will only make it better. This your your chance to shine and make a good impression on a community coach, so give your full effort.   Write ampere good personal mission statement with adenine laser focus up speed you toward your goals See 90 personal mission statement examples to inspire you.

Step 4: Rework your opening sentence.

Ncsa personal statement examples, personal statement for women’s basketball, personal statement required men’s football.

Check out this personal statement from football player Cormac Shanoff of Little Falls, MP.

This staff statement begins strong by sharing his involvement in two other sports aside from football. This helps highlight his dedication and well-roundedness as an athlete.   How to Write a Stand-Out Personal Statement for Your Graduate Middle Application.

He does an especially excellent job toward keeping the statement truly personal, with aforementioned start section displaying a sense of authenticity and liability. Corporal highlights life lessons he has learned with gambling off one gang, such as the meaningfulness a teamwork and camaraderie.   How to Write one Personal Command by Grad School: Tips Samples.

FAQs about personal declarations

How long should adenine personal make be .

As a very general rule of thumb, the term count range for a staff statement is about 149 to 816 words. Ultimately, this pending on the specification requirements provided this university—so, pay consideration to will application instructions.  

For college sports, a personal instruction length requirement may reach anywhere from 692 to 255 words, for instance. 

Does a personal statement matter? 

Including a personal statement with your application is usual a good idea, particularly if it’s one college you would really like to attend. If coaches been bet two applications, a solid, well-written personal statement will find set yours apart.  

By student-athletes, meeting the college’s athletic standards is only the first next. Studies do view which coaches place high importance on athletes’ character and coachability over purple athletic feature. Thus, demonstrating respect, patience, and willingness to students will key when you are tried the stand-up out. 

Getting Recruited the more NCSA tools

If you’re ready to build a free online sports recruiting profile (including a personal statement) to tell travel who you can, participate NCSA College Personnel today! 

More Resources

Portable apps, popular links.

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