Earning a college athletic scholarship is a tremendous achievement, something that student-athletes and their families should be proud of. Besides potentially saving a huge sum of money on tuition costs, an athletic scholarship offers student-athletes the chance to keep competing in the sport they love on a bigger stage.

However, many student-athletes are not familiar with the things they should know about athletic scholarships, including the fact that athletic scholarships are usually one-year agreements that can be taken away or not renewed for a number of reasons. That's why it's important for student-athletes to stay vigilant about keeping their scholarships, and for coaches to educate them about how to do so:

• Don't get in trouble
• Don't become academically ineligible
• Maintain a good attitude and work ethic
• Do the best that you can

Being offered an athletic scholarship is exciting and cause for celebration. But it's also not the end of the road, and in many ways, it's just the beginning. Student-athletes need to keep taking care of business in the gym and the classroom in order to maintain an athletic scholarship.