Ten Questions to Ask About an IHSA Program

If you’re a rising high school senior or incoming college freshman, you’re probably spending some time this summer visiting colleges and touring barns with IHSA teams.  

Here is a list of ten questions every prospective IHSA rider should ask before committing to a team.

1.   It is a club team or a varsity team?

IHSA teams can be club or varsity.  Every team is unique, but for the most part, club teams are not fully funded by their school, don’t offer scholarships, are often coached by an independent trainer out of his/her own barn, may or may not hold tryouts, and may or may not be co-ed.  

On the other hand, most varsity teams are funded by their school and may even offer scholarships.  Varsity teams usually ride at a school-owned facility with a university-employed coach.  Many varsity teams hold tryouts and some, but not all, are female-only.

2.  What are the costs and does the school provide any funding?

Standard costs include:

• Lessons
• School Dues
• IHSA Dues
• Show Entry Fees
• Travel and Hotel
• Coaching Fees
• Horse Transport Fees

These fees vary by team.  The coach can give you an estimate of the costs associated with his/her team.  Some varsity schools fund everything, including lessons, show entries, travel, etc., and sometimes even the cost of show attire.  Club teams may get a small stipend that covers a portion of each rider’s costs.

3.  Are there any scholarship opportunities?  If so, how do you apply?

Some teams offer riding scholarships.  If so, the coach can give you the procedure for applying.  Other types of non-riding scholarships are also available such as service, privately-funded, and some publicly-funded scholarships (i.e. the HOPE grant here in Georgia).  You can contact the school admissions office to get information on potential non-riding scholarships that may be available to you.

4.  Does the team hold tryouts or can anyone participate?

Some teams hold tryouts at the beginning of each year or each semester to determine who gets to compete.  Sometimes students who don’t make the competitive team can still train with the team and try out again the next semester or year.  Other teams are open to the entire student body and allow anyone who is a full-time undergraduate degree-seeking student to join.

5.   How big is the team?

IHSA teams can be as small as one committed horse person or as large as 60-80+ riders.  There are benefits and drawbacks to both.  With small teams, everyone may get to compete in all of the horse shows, but the team may not be big enough or diverse enough to have a rider in each division.  With larger teams, everyone might not get to compete at every show, but the team as a whole may be more competitive.

6.  Does everyone get to show? 

Depending on the size of the team, not everyone who is a competitive member of the team may get to compete in every horse show.  Each coach has his/her own way of determining who gets to compete.  Some coaches base their decision purely on riding performance, while others may factor in a rider’s commitment to the team, attitude, and work ethic.

7.  How many lessons do team members take per week?

Some teams only offer one lesson per week, while others may require competitive members to ride three or even four times per week. 

8.  Are there opportunities for extra riding outside of lessons?

Some teams offer opportunities for students to get in more riding time, such as practice rides in exchange for barn work or a small fee, or the coach may have a horse available for lease or half-lease.

9.  Are there other obligations such as team workouts, team meetings, fundraisers, etc.?

Some teams require morning workouts several days per week.  Many club teams are student run and not funded by the school, which means you would need to attend administrative meetings on campus and participate in fundraisers to make money.

10.  What is the team's 'signature' or thing about them that makes them unique?

A team's signature may be performance-related, for example their signature may be that they have won a national title, or that they have won their regional championship every year for the past decade, or they have sent an individual rider to nationals every year.

Another team's signature may be that they are known as the 'sportsmanship team' in their region, or they are active in hippotherapy, or they take pride in being a place for beginners and lower-level riders to learn and grow in their riding.

Whichever type of IHSA team you are looking for, getting the answers to these ten questions will help you make the right decision about joining an IHSA team while in college.