Agony Al on Amateur Status and Eligibility

It's that time of the week again! This week, a FirstPoint USA client asked us about their eligibility for a U.S scholarship if they were to sign semi-pro with a team before going out.  We knew there was only one man worthy of answering such an important question, so, over to Al: Dear Al, I have been offered a semi pro contract for this season, could i still go to the states if i sign it? Please help! Anon   My anonymous friend, We'd all love to start living the high-life of a semi-pro football player...but unfortunately, you've just got to play by the NCAA rules, which specify that students are no longer eligible to play in their college team if they've ever been semi-pro or pro.  So in a word, no, you'll need to sign as an amateur to remain eligible for a scholarship to the USA. C'est la vie! You're welcome, Al  

Is something troubling you that only Agony Al’s advice can solve? Get in touch on Twitter through @AgonyAl or comment anonymously on this blog post with your queries and Al will be sure to respond. And who knows, your question could be featured next week on our blog!