The InStride Mission

Competing at the collegiate level is one of the most rewarding and exciting experiences a college student can have, yet the road to get there is often not clear. It can feel overwhelming as you try to understand all of your options, attempt to reach out to coaches, and figure out what to ask or tell them. Making a wise informed decision about where you ultimately want to study and compete requires accessing vital information and developing a serious plan.

We provide dedicated athletes and their families with the knowledge and resources to help them successfully navigate the recruitment process. The end result? A fun, challenging, and meaningful collegiate academic and athletic experience.

Not only is it our goal to enable more athletes to compete at the collegiate level, but for those who do, to last all four years. On average only 5% of high school cross country and track and field athletes go on to compete in the NCAA. And only around 75% of that group end up competing all four years. Attrition at the collegiate level can be due to a variety of reasons, but we believe that with the right perspective and guidance, many of the issues that cause athletes to quit early can be prevented during the recruitment process.

A particular college program may be the perfect fit for an athlete, however due to the quantity and diversity of athletes and colleges, the right match may never be made. Our purpose is to find and make that match with you.

We believe the best college is not always the most prestigious one. While this may go against the grain of other college counseling services, we stand by this philosophy: The right college is not always the ‘best’ college. The right college is the best college for you. In other words, a student athlete who finds challenge and success academically and athletically, thrives socially on her/his team, and actively engages in the larger college community has very likely found the right college to spend 4 stimulating years.

At InStride Counseling we encourage student athletes and their families to have a balanced perspective when it comes to prestige and rankings of colleges. It is possible the “right” college for you may not be the highest rated institution to which you have been accepted. In order to find the best fit, we will ask you to keep an open mind during this process and consider many variables. For example, for some, high ratings and low acceptance rates are two priority data points. For others, departmental excellence, geographic location, student body diversity, class size, or other factors may tip the scales. As a student athlete, we will want you to add other important considerations to your list, such as your comfort with the Head Coaches, institutional balance of academics and athletics, pros and cons of the three NCAA divisions, each team’s unique culture, your potential role on the team, and much more.