Acceleration Australia: Building The Best Pre-Game Routine

We have all felt the frustration of having a ‘bad game.’ It seems hard to transfer all of the training we do into competition. You’re probably pretty good at eating the right foods and warming up our muscles before a game, but what are you doing to prepare mentally?

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Welcome Talent Co-ordinator Conor Byrne

Graduating from Iona University in New York, Conor Byrne has recently completed his own US College pathway. It was at Iona where Conor received his BBA in Business Analytics & Information Systems, a Graduate Certificate in the MBA program, and represented the school captaining the Rugby team. Growing up...

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The New Digital SAT® | Experience It Yourself!

For the first time, the College Board is switching the SAT and PSAT from a written to a digital format. Our partners at Revolution Prep are ready to support students and their families through this transition by offering a digital SAT experience

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Career Support

Supporting Students careers beyond the four year college experience.

Study & Play USA is delighted to announce an exciting partnership with global recruitment company Robert Walters Group. The partnership is designed to provide support to ‘in college’ student-athletes to best prepare themselves for their careers beyond their four year college experience. Study & Play...

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National Signing Day and Scholarship Timelines

National Signing Day and Scholarship Timelines

For many prospective student-athletes, a lot of unnecessary stress, pressure and anticipation can build in the lead up to National Signing Day. Below we explore the significance of National Signing Day break down some of the biggest misconceptions. National Signing Day occurs each year in...

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What is the Role of a US College Coach?

US College coaches wear many hats. Most importantly, they assume the role of coach, mentor, recruiter, and manager. However, what they are not is a replacement for your primary/technical coach at home. Joining a college team for many athletes can invoke a concern that they...

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Go Where You’ll Play

Transitioning to a new country and a new athletic environment is challenging for any student-athlete. Homesickness is common in the first semester while trying to adjust to a new normal. This can be especially compounded by not securing a position within the team’s starting line-up....

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College to Pro: Pathways of World Class Athletes

One of the biggest myths regarding the US college pathway is that it’s only for student-athletes who do not want to play their sport professionally. Despite often being the advice to Australia’s top junior athletes, the “don’t go to college if you want to go...

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Social Media in College Recruiting

Social media is a powerful tool. It has transformed the way we communicate, interact, do business, and receive news. College recruiting is no different and if used appropriately, social media can be leveraged by students to enhance their visibility and opportunities. However, it is important...

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Scholarships: Not Just for Sport

When it comes to the US college pathway, scholarships are the first topic that everyone wants to know about. Ironically, it also a topic that attracts many misconceptions. It is important to note from the outset that full scholarships are extremely rare and only around...

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Get to Know the Study & Play USA Team

For our November blog we wanted to take a different approach to give our readers a deeper insight into our passionate and dedicated team. Read below to see our responses to a series of fun and personal questions: If you could attend college in any...

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US College Sports on the Rise: Rugby and Triathlon

When most people think of college sports, football, basketball, and baseball are among the first to come to mind. Understandably so, given that these are among the biggest revenue generating college sports that attract audiences almost as large as major professional leagues. However, the fastest-growing...

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How to Maximise Your Scholarship Opportunities in America

You have been chatting with coaches and the topic of scholarship comes up… now what? How can you best maximise your scholarship opportunities? Depending on the division, you may have already discussed athletic scholarship and academic scholarship with the coach. However, there are other less...

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On-Campus or Off-Campus Housing: What are the Options?

One of the most unique and exciting aspects of the US college experience is being part of a campus community. The majority of students, both domestic and international, live on campus in residence halls, which provides for a very vibrant campus culture. However, there are...

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It’s Rowing Regatta Season & Recruiting Season

Pictured: Clancy, Study and Play USA Student-athlete at Yale February and March in Australia is rowing ‘regatta season’ for high school athletes. It marks the culmination of months of early pre-dawn morning sessions on the water, training camps and painstaking erg sessions.  It’s also the...

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Signed – Now What?

The end of the year is an exciting time for our Year 12 student-athletes. High school graduation marks the close of one journey and brings excitement for the start of another. With the early signing period beginning in November, many students find themselves signing their...

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Life on Campus for a Student-Athlete

What are the Living Arrangements? Our son often asks us whether he could go to college in the USA to study and play one day. The answer of course is ‘yes’! As he asks this question, in response we as parents instinctively ask ourselves our...

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Little Known Facts about US College

Did you know that it’s possible to be halfway through your degree in the US without knowing what your degree is? Sounds crazy, right? Let’s explore how this is possible, along with other little – known facts about the US university system. Fact #1 –...

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Tips to Conquer Your First Semester

As our 2021 recruits make the 15,000km journey to what will become their new home for the next four years, we feel it is timely to share some advice around how to best settle into your new surroundings once you arrive in the US. In...

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Not Another Podcast!

By Chris Bates Amongst the doom and gloom of 2020, some of us were presented with an amazing opportunity for reflection out of a situation which forced us all to gain a new perspective. Many friends of Study & Play USA reported spending so much...

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Life After College: Why Student-Athletes are Among the Most Prepared

By all indications, student-athletes are among the most prepared for life after college. Armed with a strong sense of independence, problem-solving skills, and a global network of personal and professional connections, they are very well-equipped to excel in the ‘real-world’ after graduation. These hallmarks of...

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Support for Student-Athletes in the USA

There are plenty of questions that student-athletes will ask themselves when choosing the most suitable USA University to attend. You could probably think of the obvious ones: Will I like the climate? Am I good enough? Will I improve in my sport? How much will...

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What If I Get Injured?

It’s a subject or scenario all athletes and parents of athletes would rather avoid. But it’s also one of the most common questions asked of our team at Study & Play USA. What if I get injured when on scholarship in the USA? Let’s unpack...

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What Do All Successful Recruits Have in Common?

College recruiting is a marathon process, spanning a number of months and, in some cases, years. It is therefore essential that a recruit is able to sustain the interest of a college coach over a long period of time. The most successful recruits who secure...

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Junior College- More than a Plan ‘B’

By Chris Bates The word ‘junior’ conjures up different ideas for different people. Some may see the word and assume that by being junior, this may mean inferior; some may view something junior as being lesser, or in some cases they may link the word...

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My College Experience

Written by Ellen Chambers My US college experience was nothing short of life-changing and if given the opportunity, I’d re-live it ten times over. Looking back, I can offer the following reflections on what I gained from my experience as a student-athlete on the golf...

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My College Experience

Where do I start? Well, perhaps I should start by sharing that, such was the positive impact of my experience that, on my final plane trip back to Australia after graduation, I made a decision that one day I was going to help other families navigate the process so that...

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What Can We Learn From College Athletes?

What do you envision when you hear the word ‘student-athlete’? Law student and long-jump champion Kendall Spencer suspects that the average response to that question might not do student-athletes justice. Having been told, like many other athletes, to stick to what he’s good at, Spencer...

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5 ways to develop your mental Toughness

What is mental toughness? “Mental toughness is the ability to respond well to doubts, worries, concerns and circumstances that make it more difficult to succeed, or excel at a task or towards an objective or a performance outcome that you set out to achieve.” The term...

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What Is A “Student Athlete” & Could I Be One?

You may hear the term ‘student athlete’ thrown around when it comes to discussing USA Colleges and scholarships. Essentially – students who accepted into a US College to study and also represent a sporting team are known as a ‘student athletes’. Being the most diverse...

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SHOULD YOU CONSIDER A SCHOLARSHIP TO THE USA?

This is a question you might be asking yourself as you start to look to the future, and what an exciting question it is! Yet, exciting as it is, it can also be a little daunting. You start to doubt leaving home? Or if you...

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An Aussie Guide to America Food

When our students make the trip over to America to begin their adventure of a life time, some of the funniest things we hear revolve around food! Let’s face it the Americans use some words which really aren’t in our vocabulary, for example, ‘erbs….cilantro…tootsie rolls?...

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An Aussie Guide to Packing for US College

So, the time has come! You’re all set to head off to the US and you’re excited about what lies ahead. New friends, new adventures and a brand-new culture await you, but first, you must pack that suitcase! We can all be guilty of over...

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Athlete Profile: Jonathan Condon

Jonathan Condon Uni: UPennStart Date: August 2018Sport: Rowing What are you most looking forward to about going to College? I’m most looking forward to embracing the American culture and lifestyle. One of the most important things to me with studying abroad, is to live in...

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Athlete Profile: Isabelle Robinson

Isabelle Robinson Uni: Wayne StateStart Date: August 2018Sport: Rugby What are you most looking forward to about going to College? I am most looking forward to meeting my room mates, making new friends and meeting the girls in the rugby team. I am also looking...

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FIND YOUR RIGHT FIT FOR US COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP

Are you one of many young Australian athletes who wants to continue to develop in the sport that has been a big part of your life for many years? Do you feel you need to choose between study and your sporting dreams? Are you a...

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STUDY AND PLAY US COLLEGE TENNIS

Are you one of many young Australian tennis players who wants to pursue a tennis career, but feel you need to choose between study and tennis? Imagine returning from the USA aged 21 with a universally recognised degree behind you, having saved money over the...

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WANT TO PLAY US COLLEGE SOFTBALL? WE CAN HELP!

Every year, thousands of young women take their skills onto the softball diamond and turn them into a US college scholarship. And the good news is that US coaches like to recruit out of Australia given our reputation as a strong performing softball nation, our excellent...

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LANDMARK DAY FOR AUSTRALIAN TENNIS

by Chris Bates, Founder of UTR Events Australia and Study & Play USA Mark down the 20th January 2019 as perhaps what could prove to be a landmark day for the way tennis is played in Australia. And I am not simply referring to Ashleigh...

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WHY A US COLLEGE ATHLETIC SCHOLARSHIP IS A PRIVILEGE

In recent times there has been great debate in North America around the college sports system and the ‘exploitation’ of student athletes to raise revenue for the universities. In Australia, there is no such thing as a free university education via an athletic scholarship. Meaning,...

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Want A Sports Scholarship To A US University? Here’s How!

Every year, more and more Australian athletes are attempting to play college sports in the United States. There are hundreds of US athletic scholarships available to Australian student athletes every year, but actually being offered one of these scholarships can be a long and difficult...

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IS THE JOURNEY WORTH IT? OUR GRADUATES SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCES!

“No other country in the world offers the facilities, opportunities, and support that the US college sport system provides.” – Hugh Clarke, Pepperdine University. It’s true. If you want to train like a professional athlete in your chosen field AND obtain a degree whilst living...

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THE RUGGERS EDGE CONTINUE PARTNERSHIP

Mar 1, 2018 – Denver, CO: The Rugger’s Edge and Study & Play USA are proud to continue their partnership for 2018. “As the popularity of studying and playing rugby in the U.S. continues to grow, working with a company like Study and Play USA was...

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STUDY & PLAY IN THE IVY LEAGUES

You’ve heard of the Ivy League Universities, right? As a refresher, The Ivy League is a group of eight historic, distinguished colleges and universities in the East of the USA, known for their ivy-covered brick buildings. The members of the Ivy League are Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, Princeton, and...

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USA RUGBY – TICKING THE BOXES

The final whistle blows and just like that, USA Rugby ticks another box along the way to being considered a ‘rugby nation’- a legitimate global force in the game they play in heaven. This month’s World Rugby 7s’ Championships had the USA written all over...

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This is a question you might be asking yourself as you start to look to the future, and what an exciting question it is!Yet, exciting as it is, it can also be a little daunting. You start to doubt leaving home? Or if you can...

When our students make the trip over to America to begin their adventure of a life time, some of the funniest things we hear revolve around food!Let’s face it the Americans use some words which really aren’t in our vocabulary, for example, ‘erbs….cilantro…tootsie rolls? (That’s...

So, the time has come!You’re all set to head off to the US and you’re excited about what lies ahead. New friends, new adventures and a brand-new culture await you, but first, you must pack that suitcase!We can all be guilty of over packing and...

Jonathan CondonUni: UPennStart Date: August 2018Sport: RowingWhat are you most looking forward to about going to College?I’m most looking forward to embracing the American culture and lifestyle. One of the most important things to me with studying abroad, is to live in not only a...

Everyone loves America!With its amazing history, culture and people it’s not hard to see why the United States is one of the most visited places in the world. From the bright lights of New York to the picturesque mountains of Colorado…there really is something for...

Isabelle RobinsonUni: Wayne StateStart Date: August 2018Sport: RugbyWhat are you most looking forward to about going to College?I am most looking forward to meeting my room mates, making new friends and meeting the girls in the rugby team. I am also looking forward to starting...

We love what we do, and we love who we work with – but many do ask, why should we choose Study and Play USA?Read on to find out why US college coaches and families across the globe recommend us to look after your US...

Have you been offered a US college scholarship or would you like to apply for one, but are not sure what course to take?The US college scholarship program is a great pathway to further academic studies and careers. Knowing what future career you want for...

Are you one of many young Australian athletes who wants to continue to develop in the sport that has been a big part of your life for many years? Do you feel you need to choose between study and your sporting dreams?Are you a parent...

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GAME CHANGER

An Aussie's Transformative
US College Journey

By Study & Play Director, Chris Bates