Baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and lawn tennis are some of the major sports in the United States. But these activities are not considered as mere games by many Americans. The purpose of sports in their lives is more than its capability to entertain. It is more than an excuse to spend the weekends and holidays. For many Americans, sports is like religion. It is a path to happiness and fulfillment, something that truly captivated their imagination.
A sport is also the best way to distract people from the cares of the world. Thus, it must not come as a surprise that professional sports generate billions of dollars in revenue. Athletes are not only celebrities; they are also multi-millionaires. It is no wonder, then, that the search for athletes begins at the High School and collegiate level. But, it has become clear that students must only focus on the enhancement of their skills, they must also focus on their studies.
Athletes must learn to value education. This assertion holds true, especially for black students who come from poor families. There is the tendency to focus on sports as means to an end. The mindset must be changed and instead, education must be the means to an end. Sports must be used to enable them to secure a scholarship and once they have that scholarship the goal is to study hard and graduate. However, it has become clear that athletes focus on their chance to earn a spot in a professional sports club.
Their major goal is not to receive a diploma but to be drafted in sports clubs that belong to sports organizations like the National Basketball Association. National Hockey League, National Football League and others. Student athletes require assistance and inspiration for them to change their priorities and value education more than their chance to play professional sports.
Importance of Education
The physical body requires training in order to be physically fit. The philosophy behind athletics training is to obtain good body structure that fit into the demands of a specific sport. It is about rigorous training that forces the body to accomplish extraordinary physical feats like soaring through the air for a dunk and rushing a hundred yards against tremendous opposition for a touchdown.
However, just as the body plays an important part in sports, the psychological aspect of life is also very important. The importance of having a superb mental conditioning among athletes cannot be underestimated. It is also very important for fill the mind with appropriate knowledge in order to develop a skill that can help students land a job outside the sports industry.
This issue is important in light of recent findings that the population of student athletes in U.S colleges and universities is increasing on a yearly basis (Simiyu 16). There is major concern over allegations that student athletes receive preferential treatment during admission because they do not have the capability to compete with non-athletes in the academic aspect of their student life (Simiyu 16).
This kind of treatment isolates them from the larger campus culture and it may diminish their opportunities for personal growth. However, results of other studies seem to indicate that there are student athletes who performed well even if one considers the demand on their schedules (Simiyu 16).
Knowledge gained from school is not only important when it comes to employment. These skills and knowledge are also very valuable when it comes to dealing with other aspects of life especially when it comes to the duty of a person to become a productive member of society. Those who do not have at least a high school diploma struggle to find decent jobs. But, more importantly, they do not possess the capability to plan for their future and manage their finances in such a way that they can live comfortably.
Most athletes struggle during the post-retirement season in their lives because of lack of education. Successful athletes are able to accomplish great physical acts that enable them to win accolades. But, it does not mean that they can handle social pressures (Athletic Journal 17). Their physical strength does not guarantee that they are able to manage a sustainable way of life the moment their multi-million dollar contracts are rescinded due to injury.
It must be made clear that if recruiters, the coaching staff and school administrators fail to help student athletes earn a college degree, then, it can be considered as a form of exploitation. It is difficult to make an outright judgment that they are exploiting their student athletes if they fail to bring them to the final stage of their education. But it can be argued that in a way they are exploiting their athletes if they only use them to win games.
There must a revolution in the way people view student athletes. There is a need to focus on what is more important. Most of the time, the educational component of a student athlete’s life is neglected as the bulk of the effort is focused on training and physical development. But, more importantly, the exploitation of talented athletes begins even before they set foot in college. When a scout finds out that a particular child can run, jump, or throw better than others, that person becomes an object of interest for a particular school.
They become attractive products for high school recruiters. Early on they are made to feel that their academic performance is a second priority to their physical attributes and their skills on the court or playing field. In recent times, there is a clamor to change how student athletes are treated by recruiters and sports programs under the control of a college or university.
For example, there are proactive steps taken to compel colleges and universities to enhance their standards when it comes to providing scholarship for student athletes (Athletic performance in exchange for an education- a contract unfulfilled 5). In other words, student athletes are only eligible for a scholarship if they can demonstrate on a regular basis that they perform well in their studies in the same way that they perform well in the track and field or a basketball court.
A Conflicted Soul
The actions of the National Association for College Admission Counseling must be commended in their effort to promote education among athletes. The association brings to mind the importance of balancing the athletic, social, and academic priorities of student-athletes.
One of the main goals of the National Association for College Admission Counseling is to transform the recruiting process of student athletes. It provides its members with the necessary steps that must be observed when recruiting and advising student-athletes about college selection and attendance (Sanders, Gardner, & Jones 23). Thus, in the beginning of the relationship between the school and athletes, they lay down their expectations. The student athlete becomes aware of a more rigorous standard.
A change in perspective with regards to the greater importance of education over sports is only the beginning. The commitment to compel students to attend classes and to be more diligent in their studies is just the beginning of the process. College and universities must realize the impact and consequences of an undeniable fact, that student athletes have very demanding schedules.
Student athletes do not enjoy the same freedom and flexibility that average students enjoy. It is therefore extremely difficult for student athletes to succeed in academics as well as in sports (Arant & Ann 12). It requires greater effort not only on the part of the students but also school administrators and the coaches of the student athletes. There must be a united effort to change the lives of the student athletes.
Inspiration and Assistance
In the attempt to greatly improve the academic performance of student athletes, it is important to bring together the collective efforts of parents, school administrators, and coaches when it comes to the college selection and recruitment process. It underscores the importance of helping gifted young men and women in pursuing their athletic and academic goals.
There is no need to elaborate the fact that these people need to be assisted in the decision making process when it comes to recruitment. According to one commentary, parents and the athlete, students are normally very passive in the recruiting process. They need to assert themselves because their actions in the critical stages of recruitment can greatly impact their lives (McQuilken 25).
The negotiation process determines the kind of future the student athletes will have and therefore it should be done with a lot of care. It is important for all parties concerned to be involved in order ensure that a favorable decision is made. It is also important to point out that the family of the student athlete can provide positive influence over the academic life of the student. Parents must demonstrate that they value education over sports.
One of the best ways to handle the problem of recruitment is to be familiar with the National Collegiate Athletic Association recruiting rules. By doing so, parents and student athletes will made aware of the intricacies involved in the recruitment process. Knowledge about the said rules will empower them through access to information with regards to the types of athletic scholarships available and how they may be combined with other form of financial aid.
In short, it gives the family an accurate picture of the recruitment process as well as options and privileges that are available to them. Information gleaned from the said literature provided by the National Collegiate Athletic Association places the actual school selection and the college athletic experience in the right perspective (McQuilken 25).
The school must invest in programs that will help student athletes realize the importance of hard work on and off the playing field. A good example is a mentoring program that teaches student athletes the significance of attending classes, interacting with the faculty, research, use of the library, and participating in co-curricular activities. All this will demand the use of time and the application of finances, which can be quite a challenge for a student athlete.
One good example of a mentoring program can be seen in the relationship between a coach and his team. John Thompson is a coach, and at the same time, he is an advocate of education. His efforts to show athletes the importance of education was illustrated with the use of a deflated basketball on a shelf in his office.
It serves as a constant reminder that an athlete without education is the same as a ball without air. According to him, athletes should be able to win games without affecting their academic performance. This is evident in his ability to win games without causing the players to neglect their academic responsibilities (Leavy 40). Student athletes are compelled to understand that if they do not perform well academically then, there is a greater chance of failure in later life.
Thompson argues that it is an absolute injustice to accept an athlete’s abilities and not give him or her other privileges that they are entitled to as a student athlete.
He meant to say education is part of the privileges of a student athlete. Therefore, he acknowledges that grade point averages are just as important as points-per-game. Through this mentoring process Thompson boasted that only two members of his team failed to graduate. Thompson said that only those who think education is more important than athletics can succeed in life.
Dealing with Detractors
There are those who offer a more pessimistic view. There is significant evidence to show that student athletes are valued for their physical attributes compared to their mental acumen.
There is also the issue that colleges and universities profit from their student athletes. This assertion can be understood from the point of view of greater enrollment for admired school made popular by their success in sports competition. Higher profit can also be understood in terms of great contributions from donors (Arant & Ann 12). Thus, the focus is more on the athletic side of the student athlete’s life.
There are numerous problems identified by those who cannot see a solution to the impasse and these include social development, academic development as well as the troublesome relationships with faculty that student athletes experience (Harper & Stephen 1).
Those who criticize the attempt to reform how college and universities handle their student athletes had given up hope that there is a way to turn around the problem. They are of the view that student athletes are academically inept and incapable of performing well in the classroom. As a result, many student athletes are stereotyped and treated unfairly on college campuses. In short, they are stigmatized as academic underachievers.
It must be pointed out that only a few scholars had examined how student athletes are affected by the environmental influences in the context of a college or university experience (Comeaux 1). There is a need to examine all the factors before a negative verdict is handed out. There is a need to study all the angles before giving up on student athletes. But even without a comprehensive study of student athletes, there are many examples of student athletes who were able to balance the rigors of academics and sports (Comeaux 1).
Conclusion
The importance of education cannot be overemphasized. In the case of student athletes, the need to impress in the track and field, basketball court, and hockey rink becomes more important than academic achievement. But it has been proven time and again that athletes can easily ruin their lives even if they are assured of multi-million dollar contracts. There is a need to transform the mindset of student athletes, their respective families and those who recruit them. There must be a premium placed on education.
Works Cited
Arant, Wendi and Mosley Ann. Library Outreach Partnerships, and Distance Education. New York: New York University Press, 2006. Print.
Athletic Journal, Evanston: Athletic Journal Publishing Company, 1921. Print.
“Athletic performance in exchange for an education- a contract unfulfilled.” The Crises Journal, 5 (1983): 5. Print.
Comeaux, Eddie. “Predictors of Academic achievement among Student Athletes in the Revenue Producing Sports of Men’s Basketball and Football.” The Sport Journal. 8.3 (2005): 1. Web.
Harper, Shaun and Quaye Stephen. Student Engagement in Higher education: Theoretical Perspectives. New York University Press, 2009. Print.
Leavy, Walter. “John Thompson: A Top Coach who Puts Books above Basketball.” Ebony Magazine July 2008: 40. Print.
McQuilken, Kim. The Road to Athletic Scholarship: What Every Student-Athlete, Parent, and Coach Needs to Know. New York: New York University Press, 1996. Print.
Sanders ,Victoria, Henry Gardner and Jeffery Jones. “Recruitment, Admission, and Retention of First-Year Student-Athletes.” College Student-Athletes: Challenges, Opportunities, and Policy Implications 35.1 (2009): 23-36. Print.
Simiyu, Wycliffe. “Individual and Institutional Challenges Facing Student Athletes on U.S. College Campuses.” Journal of Physical Education and Sports Management 1.2 (2010): 16-24. Print.