Club Sport Scholarship Program

IMPORTANT DATES:

February 1 – March 15:      Applications Open

March 16 – April 15:           Application Review

April 30:                              Application Decisions

PURPOSE

The Phoenix Women’s Sports Association (“PWSA”) club sport scholarship program is intended to further the educational and training opportunities for young women in the state of Arizona by promoting a strong educational base while encouraging talented youth women to participate in club sport activities to enable them to further develop their skills so that they may participate in athletics in high school and at the collegiate level.

 

APPLICATION CHECKLIST

The following documents are required (unless otherwise stated) to be considered for a scholarship and must be postmarked by the date as listed on www.phoenixwomenssports.org. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered.

      • Scholarship Request Form (last page of this document)

      • Report Card of Transcript from past three (3) semesters

      • Resume of athletic and extracurricular accomplishments

      • Two (2) letters of recommendation

      • Applicant’s essay as to what this scholarship would mean to them

      • Parent(s) or legal guardian(s) balance sheet and/or tax return

      • Parent(s) letter of what this scholarship would mean (Optional)

Email scholarship@phoenixwomenssports.org if you have any questions about the application process.

 

SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS

Scholarship awards will be made only to those individuals who meet the eligibility requirements set forth herein. High school girls who reside in an Arizona County and demonstrate a commitment to athletic excellence and financial need are eligible to apply for PWSA’s Club Sport Scholarships. The scholarship funds will be paid directly to the scholarship recipient’s club team to be applied toward the recipient’s club fees, uniform costs, and any related travel costs incurred while participating in the approved club sport. Scholarship checks will only be made payable in the name of the Club Team, for deposit in the Club Team bank account. Checks will only be distributed once confirmation that athlete is in fact on the team.

 

ELIGIBILITY FOR SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

      • Scholarship awards are available for high school girls who reside in an Arizona County and have demonstrated athletic promise and a commitment to athletic excellence.

      • The parent(s) or guardian(s) of Scholarship applicants must demonstrate financial need.

      • Children of members of the Board of Directors or any employee of PWSA are not eligible.

      • If illness or other conditions beyond the control of a scholarship award recipient delays the start of her training, the scholarship award may be held in abeyance by the Scholarship Committee for use by the recipient within one calendar year.

      • Scholarship awards not used within the one year period may be awarded to other eligible scholarship applicants in PWSA’s sole discretion.

      • Receipt of a scholarship or other financial support for club sport participation from another source will reduce the amount of the scholarship award from PWSA, but does not disqualify an applicant from receiving such funds from the Association.

      • Scholarship award recipients may continue to receive scholarship awards as long as they meet the eligibility requirements set forth herein.

Eligibility requirements for each applicant are as follows:

      • The scholarship award applicant must have completed the 8th grade at the beginning of the club season, and must not have completed high school.

      • An applicant must have maintained a minimum grade point average of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent) during her academic school year.

      • Scholarship award recipients must use the scholarship money for the current club season. Extension of the scholarship period may be granted by the Scholarship Committee in its sole and absolute discretion, in the case of illness, injury or other hardship.

      • Evidence of acceptance by or enrollment in a Club must be submitted to the Scholarship Committee before any scholarship award payment is made.

      • The parent(s) or guardian(s) of the applicant must demonstrate financial need by providing a copy of their most current tax return.

 

SELECTION OF SCHOLARSHIP AWARD RECIPIENTS

The “Scholarship Committee” shall be composed of members of PWSA’s Board of Directors.

Upon receipt of scholarship award applications from eligible applicants, the Scholarship Committee shall screen and evaluate the scholarship award applications. After screening and evaluating the scholarship award applications, the Scholarship Committee may, at its discretion, request interviews with any or all applicants. Following completion of the evaluation (and the interview phase if applicable), the Scholarship Committee shall select the names of the scholarship award recipient(s). The Scholarship Committee’s selection of scholarship award recipients is final.

No member of the Scholarship Committee shall be in a position to derive a private benefit, directly or indirectly, if certain scholarship award applicants are selected over others.

The Scholarship Committee will award scholarships on an objective and nondiscriminatory basis. The following factors will be considered by the Scholarship Committee in selecting scholarship award recipients:

      • Scholastic achievement (report card or transcript for past 3 semesters);

      • Resume of athletic accomplishments;

      • General aptitude for a commitment to athletic excellence as evidenced by athletic tryout, and recommendations from coaches in the respective club sport;

      • Two (2) recommendations from either teachers, guidance counselors, coaches or others in a position to comment on the applicant’s character, ability, and seriousness of purpose;

      • Applicant’s essay explaining why she deserves a scholarship;

      • Applicant’s interview (at the discretion of the committee);

      • Demonstration of financial need by the applicant’s parent or guardian.

 

NO OBLIGATION ON THE PART OF SCHOLARSHIP AWARD RECIPIENTS

The availability of scholarship awards will be announced by PWSA. Interested candidates may download the scholarship application from PWSA’s website. The packet of material will contain forms for obtaining the following information about each applicant for the confidential use of the Scholarship Committee:

      • Personal information concerning the applicant;

      • A Club Information sheet completed by the club team coach or administrator;

      • Information regarding the applicant’s extracurricular, community and other activities;

      • A transcript of grades earned by the applicant during their past [3] school semesters;

      • The applicant’s personal essay pertaining to why they deserve a scholarship;

      • Recommendations from teachers, guidance counselors, coaches and others in position to comment on the applicant’s character, ability, and seriousness of purpose;

      • Parent(s) or legal guardian(s) most recent tax return. 8. Incomplete application packages will not be considered.

 

GRANTING OF SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

The evaluation of all applications will take place immediately following the deadline date for receipt of applications announced by the Scholarship Committee. Scholarship applicants will be notified about the outcome of their applications by the Chair of the Scholarship Committee.

 

PAYMENT AND SUPERVISION OF SCHOLARSHIP AWARD

Upon receipt of evidence from the Club that a scholarship award recipient has been accepted for initial enrollment or will continue in her athletic training program, payment for the full amount of the scholarship award for the Club sport season will be made to the Club team, for deposit into the Club team’s bank account. At the end of the Club season for which the scholarship was awarded, the Club team shall be responsible for providing an accounting of how the funds were applied.

HOW TO APPLY

Apply Online