College Athletics An increasingly-important factor in Devon Prep students’ college admission process is the ability to continue their athletic careers at the next level! The Class of 2021 has 16% of its members set to play at a Division 1 or Division 3 level, a trend that should be continuing with the Class of 2022 and beyond. Students who want to continue their sport in college will, of course, go through the process guided by Eshleman, but also will work hand-in-hand with the Athletic Department. “I encourage students who want to continue their athletic career beyond high school to speak with their Devon and/or travel team coaches in regards to their potential and realistic ability to compete at the collegiate level,” says Eshleman. Targeting different athletic programs, working with college coaches and scouts, and positioning athletes for success is where Athletic Director Jason Fisher comes into play. “There is no one specific way to handle the college process, says Fisher. “Each player is unique and goes through the process differently. We generally start with an open conversation about why they want to play in college, and then we talk about what that would look like. After that we start to truly evaluate the athlete and their abilities - both on the court and in the classroom.” Fisher has also helped introduce a College Athletics Club to help our high school students start to plan and prepare for a prospective college athletics career. One major factor in the increase in the number of students looking to play beyond a high school level? Moving into the Philadelphia Catholic League. “Playing in the PCL has helped give our athletes a realistic evaluation against some of the best student-athletes in the country. It makes our athletes at Devon realize what they have to work on at an early age if they truly want to play at the next level. It also has given our athletes more of a stage to be showcased to college coaches. There are no easy games, all of our games are against potential college athletes and as such college coaches are always watching.” Eshleman’s guidance overall, even factoring in one’s ability and desire to participate in athletics at the collegiate level, is on point. “I encourage them to select the school that is their best fit overall - academically, athletically, socially, spiritually, and financially. They should NOT select a college purely because they can play on the college team. The college should pass the “broken leg test” - if the student were to have a season or career ending injury, would they want to stay on that campus? If they would not, the student should continue to explore other options. Don’t pick a school just because you can play there.”
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