By Kim J. Harmon

Newtown High School has had its share of athletes who have attracted the attention – from a little to quite a lot – of colleges across the country. There are many now who are opening their mail and finding letters from coaches and brochures from colleges.

It can be a confusing and complicated process – planning for an athletic future after high school.

Do I want to play in college?

How do I find the right place to play?

How do I let coaches know who I am?

Do I have the grades to play?

When should I get started?

How do I get started?

 

But to help illuminate the process, to make it less stressful, the athletic departments of all the schools in the South-West Conference have gotten together to bring Nancy Nitardy to the area to speak with athletes and their parents.

Ms. Nitardy is a nationally-recognized coach and recruiter, who has 13 years of experience at NCAA Division I schools like Indiana, Harvard and Dartmouth. What she will be presenting is the College Choices Unlimited seminar. The seminar is designed to help parents and athletes save time and money and provide an insight into the college recruiting process and will be held this month at Pomperaug High School in Southbury and Brookfield Hill School in Brookfield.

Ms Nitardy’s experiences have provided her with a wealth of knowledge on all aspects of the college admissions process. She has spent numerous hours working with students and parents on several key areas. She has coached Olympic Trial qualifiers, NCAA All-Americans, college, high school and age-group swimming teams. She was a Division I College All American at the University of South Carolina and qualified for the 1976 and 1980 US Olympic swimming trials.

Session I of the seminar at Pomperaug High will be held on Tuesday, November 16, from 7 to 9 pm; Session II will be held Thursday, November 18, from 7 to 9 pm. The seminar is free, compliments of the athletic departments of the SWC.

Ms Nitardy will cover a number of topics and areas of interest, including identifying appropriate colleges, NCAA rules and regulations, contacting coaches, applying and admissions, scholarships, search resources, and college visits. A College Choices Unlimited Guidebook will be available at the seminar for $20 (or can be purchased in advance for $15 by writing to her at P.O. Box 14099, San Francisco, CA, 94114).

To register, pick up a form at the guidance office or athletic department office of Newtown High School.