Track & Field in the United States

Would you like to combine track & field and study in the United States, and do you have questions about this? They are answered here! Is your question not listed? Search for more questions or contact us!

What is college track & field America?

More than 2,000 universities in America offer scholarships for men and woman who want to combine track & field and study in America. American universities may offer athletes scholarships to play sports for their university team. The tuition costs are then (partially) paid by the university!

College track & field in America is the ideal way to get better at your sport, get stronger both physically and mentally, and make friends with other student-athletes from all over the world! You are engaged in your sport every day and travel through America with your team to compete against different universities.

All of this serves as a good start and preparation for your future career: in college track & field or your studies.

Want to learn more about track & field and studying in America? Then feel free to contact us!

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How does College track & field work?

College Track and Field is probably slightly different from how you are used to ‘normal’ athletics in the Netherlands. The main difference: you not only perform for yourself, but also for the team and the university! Each team consists of male and female sprinters, long distance runners, hurdlers, throwers (discus and / or javelin), jumpers and all-rounders.

College Track and Field is divided into three seasons: indoor track season (indoor, on a 200-meter course), outdoor track season (outside, on a 400-meter course) and cross country (for long-distance runners).

During each season, teams compete against teams from other universities in various ‘track meets’ (tournaments). At each meeting, athletes are ‘judged’ on basis of individual and team performances. A distinction is made between men and women.

The target? Get as many points as possible for the team! For example, when a sprinter comes first in the 200m sprint, he / she not only has individual points but also 10 points go to the college team. At the end of a tournament, the points come together and a team takes the win. This system ensures that the team spirit is very high and the atmosphere at every tournament is super energetic. The American sports mentality!

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What about scholarships and College track & field?

Studying at an American university can cost as much as $65,000 a year! An amount that is unrealistic for almost all students. Therefore, all universities with college track & field teams offer the opportunity to obtain both an athletic and an academic scholarship. The school’s track & field team receives an x budget to spend on athletes. This budget is entirely for scholarships to make the education affordable for (international) students.

Slamstox helps you find a scholarship so that your college track & field experience becomes affordable. Some student athletes receive a full scholarship, in this way you can play sports and study in America for free for four years. Other student athletes receive a partial scholarship, then a (large) part of the study costs will be covered.

At this page you can read more about scholarships.

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What are the athletic requirements for a scholarship in America?

More than 2,000 college teams compete in college track & field competitions. All these teams are divided into different divisions and levels; therefore, it is possible to play different levels of track & field in America.

Slamstox has placed top national youth athletes at universities, as well as men and woman who participate in track & field at a more regional level. So, it does not matter if you compete at the highest level or a slightly lower level, there is always a place for every athlete. The level often does determine how much scholarship is handed out.

Fill in the form on this page to see what is possible with your track & field level!

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What are the academic requirements for a scholarship?

To play college track & field, you need to have completed at least high school. However, there are several options: – You have a completed HAVO or VWO diploma (Dutch high school level); – You have a completed (two-year) high school diploma; – You are pursuing a bachelor’s degree; – You have a completed bachelor’s degree.

This is where you can find more information about the possibilities.

American universities offer a wide range of degree programs at many different levels. So as long as you meet the requirements, we will make sure that the perfect match with a university is made for you!

Not sure if you meet the requirements? Please feel free to contact us!

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What are my career opportunities after college Track & Field?

After you spend four years playing sports and studying in college, there are guaranteed many opportunities for you: both on and off the athletic track. Some of the best college athletes will go for a professional sports career while many others begin their working careers in the field they studied for.

Are you ready to start working? Slamstox would like to help kickstart your career. We do this with the Slamstox After College service, open to all Slamstox student-athletes as well as non-Slamstox student-athletes. Want to know more about the Slamstox After College service? Check out the page here!

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Can I see anything anywhere about other Slamstox college track & field athletes?

Slamstox has already placed many different track and field athletes at American universities. These athletes include top juniors but also boys and girls who have competed regionally in track & field competitions. From California to Florida to New York, the athletes are spread all over the United States!

One of Slamstox’s most successful track & field athletes is Famke Heinst, a name many track & field athletes will recognize. She left for High Point University in 2017 and began her successful college sports career there. After four years, Famke returned to the Netherlands and then joined the Slamstox team. Currently, Famke is part of the Slamstox team and helps student athletes make the transition to America. You can check out Famke’s story at this video!

Check here the complete list of Slamstox track & field athletes!

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College track & field - Fun Facts

Did you know that…

  • athletics in the United States is called track & field?
  • 417 of the 558 American athletes at the Rio Olympics are (former) college student athletes?
  • the NCAA organizes 21 official track & field events? At 17 of the 21 events, scores are better than the Dutch National Records that have been achieved.
  • Churandy Martina, one of the most successful Dutch athletes, was also a student-athlete in America? He was combining athletics and study at the University of Texas, El Paso.
  • The American College track & field competition the largest and strongest is in the world?

Interested or want to know more? Fill out our Let’s meet form! and we will be happy to help you.

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