Calling All Athletes!

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Being involved in a sport enables many international students to study in the United States through scholarships. Schools gain quality athletes and diversify their campuses. Attending school in the United States gives athletes the option to continue playing a beloved sport while pursuing an education. Being an athlete in the United States will give you a chance to meet more people and travel around the region. Your team can be a great support network for navigating life in a new place. However, this can have its own special challenges for befriending classmates who are not athletes, participating in other college life activities, and having time to study.

No matter what avenue of recruitment you use, you will likely be placed in a school that is competing at an appropriate level for you. The NCAA is the Association in the United States that determines the rules for many intercollegiate sports. They also set financial, academic, and eligibility standards for member institutions designed to keep competitions balanced, provide gender equity, and create opportunities for every athlete. The NCAA groups schools into three tiers that roughly follow the size of the school and the amount of money the schools spend on the programs and fan base. NCAA is protective of the amateur status of all college players. Playing against professional teams or accepting money for playing in your home country may impact your eligibility. See www.ncaa.org or PrepScholar for more about NCAA Divisions and rules.  

Below is a chart of some of the most popular and familiar sports available at Tennessee schools:                     

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Not all sports at all schools are governed by the NCAA.  There are also other smaller associations a school may belong to. Scholarships may or may not be involved with these sports. Several schools in Tennessee have unusual sports you might be interested in watching or participating in for fun. For instance, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville has a rowing team. You can bowl at Lincoln Memorial. King University has an excellent wrestling program as well as a brand new gaming team. Cheerleading and dance has risen in popularity in the United States for both men and women.

Here is a chart of some of the more unusual sports activities at schools in Tennessee:

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