Hey,
first of all, here's some info on me: I'm 20 years old, live and play hockey in Switzerland and I currently play in the "3rd league", which is right under the NLA and NLB. In other words, I play at the highest amateur level in the country, above this level, it becomes pro.
I'd like to know if I could play college hockey. I'm currently doing my bachelor in a Swiss university and if all goes well, I'll get my degree in the summer of 2012 (getting your bachelor here takes 3 years). Could I, once I get my degree, play college hockey? Studying and playing high level hockey at the same time is one of my dreams.
I've been searching around the web and I noticed that most schools if not all want players for a 4 year period, for obvious reasons. Is this accurate? Because in my case, I would have already gotten my bachelor and would be doing master, which usually takes 2 years (I'd have to, of course, find a school that offers the master I want and the level of play most suited). Would this be a problem? I'll be 22 by that time, don't know if that's already too old to start playing college hockey. I looked up the rosters of various DI and DIII teams and some players are 25, 26, 27 years old. Any reason why?
I also read somewhere that the whole "amateur" thing is something the NCAA takes a very close look at. I'm gonna be getting some money this year for playing hockey, it's not much, but it's still money, could this be a problem?
Concerning my level of play, don't really know what to say. If I could, in these two years, manage to get into the NLB, it would be great but going to university on the side will make it very difficult. I don't know if a DIII school would be more suitable for me in this case. My goal is to play DI hockey though.
A buddy of mine told me that US colleges like having international players on their roster, I don't know the exact reason but is this true? could this actually help me?
As for the part where I have to contact these teams, I haven't got a clue who to contact, when to contact them,...
My biggest issue, if I may say, is whether or not playing college is a possibility for me or if it's totally impossible.
For now, this is all I can think of. Any help here would be great, I'm a bit lost.
thanks a lot
first of all, here's some info on me: I'm 20 years old, live and play hockey in Switzerland and I currently play in the "3rd league", which is right under the NLA and NLB. In other words, I play at the highest amateur level in the country, above this level, it becomes pro.
I'd like to know if I could play college hockey. I'm currently doing my bachelor in a Swiss university and if all goes well, I'll get my degree in the summer of 2012 (getting your bachelor here takes 3 years). Could I, once I get my degree, play college hockey? Studying and playing high level hockey at the same time is one of my dreams.
I've been searching around the web and I noticed that most schools if not all want players for a 4 year period, for obvious reasons. Is this accurate? Because in my case, I would have already gotten my bachelor and would be doing master, which usually takes 2 years (I'd have to, of course, find a school that offers the master I want and the level of play most suited). Would this be a problem? I'll be 22 by that time, don't know if that's already too old to start playing college hockey. I looked up the rosters of various DI and DIII teams and some players are 25, 26, 27 years old. Any reason why?
I also read somewhere that the whole "amateur" thing is something the NCAA takes a very close look at. I'm gonna be getting some money this year for playing hockey, it's not much, but it's still money, could this be a problem?
Concerning my level of play, don't really know what to say. If I could, in these two years, manage to get into the NLB, it would be great but going to university on the side will make it very difficult. I don't know if a DIII school would be more suitable for me in this case. My goal is to play DI hockey though.
A buddy of mine told me that US colleges like having international players on their roster, I don't know the exact reason but is this true? could this actually help me?
As for the part where I have to contact these teams, I haven't got a clue who to contact, when to contact them,...
My biggest issue, if I may say, is whether or not playing college is a possibility for me or if it's totally impossible.
For now, this is all I can think of. Any help here would be great, I'm a bit lost.
thanks a lot
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