Patrick Britz: Pat Britz began his athletic career at a young age, playing youth league soccer. He continued to play soccer and earned a partial athletic scholarship to attend the University of North Carolina at Asheville. While there, he was a four-year starter and ended his playing career as the second all-time leading scorer in school history and the leading goal scorer since UNC Asheville went to Division I (1986). Britz has worked in the world of intercollegiate athletics for over 14 years, the majority of which he has been involved in NCAA rules and regulations. He began his professional career as the Assistant Commissioner for Championships and Compliance for the Southern Conference and then moved to East Tennessee State University as the Assistant Athletics Director for Compliance and Student Services. Britz spent five years working for the NCAA national office (1996–2001) and was primarily involved in the initialeligibility and recruiting process. From there he went on to Texas Tech University, where he was the Senior Associate Athletics Director for Compliance and Administration. In August 2005, he followed his heart and never-ending passion for the game of soccer and accepted a position with the National Soccer Coaches Association of America as the Director of Division I Intercollegiate Programs. Although this is his first book, he has seen the need for Athletic Scholarships For Dummies throughout his professional career. Today, Britz lives in Lubbock, Texas, with his newlywed wife, Kim, their dog, Josie, and their cat, Shortstop. Even though age and lack of talent forced him to quit playing soccer, Britz is an avid golfer and sports a handicap of 10. Alexandra Allred: Alex Allred earned two karate black belts and was honored Athlete of the Year by the United States Olympic Committee in 1994 when she was named to the first ever women’s bobsled team. She went on to become a sports/adventure writer. Over the years, Allred has had a variety of unusual writing assignments. She test-drove and wrote about Volvo’s Gravity Car, played as a professional female football player for Sports Illustrated, competed as a fighter (kickboxing), and took a rigorous firefighter physical — all for a good story. But when coaches began talking to Allred about her own daughter’s soccer abilities, she began looking into athletic scholarships. As the author of over a dozen how-to and sports books, Allred saw the need for Athletic Scholarships For Dummies. Today, Allred lives in Midlothian, Texas, with her husband, Robb, their three children, and a variety of animals. Together, they try to balance soccer practices and games, horseback riding, tennis camps, karate, running, and volleyball.