Redshirting Pros and Cons

Is Redshirt the Right Option for You?

By Meghan Malloy|Updated on June 27, 2023 (originally published on February 1, 2022)

Everybody talks about redshirting, but not very many of us fully understand it. So, what is redshirting, and is it the right option for you?

What is redshirting?
The concept of redshirting was initially created to allow new college athletes to get settled into college life and into the team without having to compete their first year. The purpose of the redshirt was to preserve a year of eligibility so that no eligibility would be lost by the athlete practicing, but not competing their first year.

Pros of Redshirting:

Allows for more time to focus academically (still practice with the team, but no traveling for games)
Provides up to 2 extra years (2 if you use freshman redshirt and a medical redshirt) to complete both their academic and athletic careers
- Division I follows the ‘five year rule' 🡪 Athletes must fulfill their four years of eligibility within 5 years of starting a college sport.
- Division II and III follow the 10-semester/15-quarter rule 🡪 athletes have 10 semesters or 15 quarters to complete their 4 seasons of eligibility.
Allows for more time to learn the nuances of the sport (playbook, team dynamic, balancing between sport and school work)
Gives athletes a chance to recover from an injury without losing eligibility (medical redshirt)

Cons of Redshirting:

Most will graduate later than other students in their incoming class
May feel left out or excluded from the team
May feel at an athletic disadvantage, despite the ability to develop skills in their redshirt year
Depending on each situation, scholarships may not apply to a fifth year, so the athlete may have to pay for that him/herself
Negative connotation of being “not ready”

Why Someone Would Want to Redshirt:

You need to bulk up or develop before competition starts (most common in football and basketball)
You're injured and want/need to recover and rehab before competing
You need some extra time to adjust to being a collegiate student-athlete
You know your degree/academic program is a 5-year program and already plan to stay in school for 5 years

Related: The Redshirt Mentality

My personal perspective:
I took a medical redshirt year in my junior year, after a recurring injury persisted in the summer before junior year began. I got surgery to remove the scar tissue in my patellar tendon before returning for my junior year cross-country season. I spent that year visiting various doctors, doing lots of rehab, cross-training on the bike or in the pool, and trying to repair my body.

It's definitely tough mentally to watch your teammates practice and compete while you have to sit on the sidelines, but for the majority of athletes who go this route, taking the year to work on whatever the issue is ends up being worth it. My coach and I realized I could never run/train enough to be competitive with my injuries, so I ended up deciding to be “medically disqualified,” where I'm still on the roster, still attend every practice/meet, and still get my scholarship, but do no physical activity. So, redshirting is definitely helpful if someone finds themselves in that situation.

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