Our team are passionate about helping to develop young athletes and truly believe that attending College in America is one of the best ways to cement a future in your sport! Don’t just take our word for it though. Ryan Morrison is a Kirkwood Community College Alumnus and has great things to say about his time at college, and about working with College Sports America. Read on to find out more about his experience…    What made you decide to go to College in America? I decided to go to America because as a golfer, I felt that it was the best place for me to compete at a high level. I wanted to push myself and put myself in a situation where I would be independent all whilst discovering a new part of the world. Colleges in America have the facilities, funding, and ambition to create successful sports programmes and college athletes is a huge part of American culture.   How did you find your experience of working with College Sports America? During my time with College Sports America, I primarily worked with Nick but the whole team has supported me throughout my time in college. Nick took the time to understand not only what I wanted, but what I was capable of. He spent the time to get the offers that he and the team felt were best for my current situation, and placed me at two colleges that could not have been a better fit for me. The team were always quick to answer my queries and helped me with all the details required when moving to The States. In my experience with College Sports America, they have the ability to put you at a college that best fits your situation because of their extensive network with colleges and coaches.   What factors did you consider when choosing a college? The first and most important factor I believe an athlete should consider is whether they have the capability to play at a certain university. What made my time so great was being at a place where I was being pushed, but was also able to compete. For outdoor sports it may be worth considering whether you are ok using indoor facilities during winter months, or whether a college in the south, with good weather all year round is a better fit. It is important to know where you thrive, and for some people that may be at a smaller college or it may be at a large college where the environment can be quite different. Having a strong relationship with your coach is also important, so I considered how I felt about the coaches after our initial calls and interactions.   Tell us more about your college experience… My favourite part of college was travelling with the team. I made some great memories on the road with teammates and got to see parts of the country that I otherwise wouldn’t have had a chance to see. I always loved the training, whether it was 6am morning workouts, practice, or qualifying for the team. Working towards a goal with a group of teammates that become your close friends results in a lot of rewarding experiences. I got to meet some amazing people and families that took me in while I in was at college, spending thanksgiving and holidays with them were always great highlights of the year.    Do you think your college experience will benefit you in the future? My college experience gave me skills that I will be able to use for the rest of my life. I was able to gain a lot of leadership experience as I became a more senior member of the team, something I wouldn’t have been able to gain anywhere else at such a young age. Being a student-athlete taught me to manage a schedule through the long days. I learnt that prioritisation and time management are key, and these skills improved drastically during my time at college. I have also learnt to work and live with individuals from different cultures and with different personality types, which has broadened my perspective and made me a better team player. Overall, being put in a new situation at college has made it easier to be able to transition into new roles that I have faced.    Would you recommend the college experience to other aspiring athletes?  If you are a young athlete that aspires to play professional sport or just want to compete at the highest level as an amateur, then there is no other place better to achieve your goals. There are so many positives you can gain from the experience of going to college in America. Most of the reservations/concerns held by those athletes thinking about going always disappear within the first few weeks of being out there. I would not have grown into the person I am after graduating college if I had not taken the leap and left the UK.   If you’ve been inspired by Ryan’s experience and would like to know more about college life or scholarships in general, please don’t hesitate to contact us here.