With the first signing period for high school athletes approaching this November, well known players gain the opportunity to make increased profit through Name, Image and Likeness deals and sponsorships.
Iowa became the 15th state in the nation to monetize NIL in August of 2022. As fall sports near a midpoint in their respective seasons, NIL deals have become increasingly popular for high school athletes.
PV is not currently involved with NIL, but expects to be in upcoming years. Now, large Des Moines schools seem to be highly favored in terms of sponsorship interest. Iowa commit and offensive tackle Kadyn Proctor has an NIL valued at $262,000. His former and future teammate, Xavier Nwakpa is currently valued at $84,000 but that number is steadily increasing.
In high schools, the idea of name, likeness and image tends to have some strong opinions associated with it. Senior linebacker Rusty VanWetzinga IV shares his thoughts on NIL and how he feels it will affect his future athletic career.
“I’m honestly not sure if NIL would be something great for athletes who are currently enrolled in high school, just because of how young they are and the lack of knowledge they have when it comes to managing money. However, I do think it can help tremendously with college athletes who are taking their first couple of steps into real life,” VanWetzinga IV shared.
VanWetzinga IV hopes to have NIL deals arranged when his college football career begins this winter. His current teammate Andrew DePaepe will attend Michigan State University this coming January and has undisclosed NIL deals arranged upon his arrival.
“Playing college sports is a big commitment and there’s nothing wrong with rewarding athletes with sponsorship money via NIL,” said VanWetzinga IV once again.
Thoughts and opinions of players tend to represent simultaneous thoughts from parents and coaches. VanWetzinga IV and his coach/father Rusty VanWetzinga III share similar ideas when it comes to name, image and likeness. As head coach of the PV football team and father of two high school athletes, VanWetzinga III isn’t quite sure how to feel about NIL yet due to the fact that it hasn’t affected any of his players thus far.
“I am happy for all of our seniors and excited for them as they pursue a career in college athletics. Even though there are many known stipulations with NIL, more power to those eligible to receive it,” VanWetzinga III said.
As athletes continue to announce their commitments to various universities around the nation, the discussion of name, likeness and image continues. When it comes to analyzing trends and patterns with college athletes, it is no surprise that well-known schools tend to be preferred by recruits.
The idea of sitting down on Nov. 9 and signing a letter of intent to a nationally-recognized university is appealing to many. Schools have various reputations that make them attractive to potential students, and prospective students have a certain reputation they feel entitled to receive.
Name, image and likeness of athletes in the high school setting cannot only be demonstrated through the sponsorship money they receive, but through the choices they make when deciding a post-secondary institution. Parents set a high expectation for their children at a young age when it comes to their life goals, and that pressure can also be placed on athletes by their peers and coaches.
This is part of what makes NIL so rewarding for athletes. Regardless of their past experiences in a certain sport, all athletes are able to receive money with the hope that it will help shape their future.
