Athletics Before Academics?
Athletics Before Academics?
DiAunte Bell
Germanna Community College
English 111-44 Friday
Athletics Before Academics?
An anonymous individual once said, “People don’t play sports because it’s fun. Ask any athlete, most of them hate it, but they couldn’t imagine their life without it. It’s part of them, the love/hate relationship. It’s what they live for.” The quote continues saying, “It’s who they are. It’s who we are. We are athletes.” An athlete is an individual who trains to compete in a sporting event. However, there is a fine line distinguishing an athlete and a student athlete, or at least there should be. A student athlete, where student comes first and shows the balance of a full time student and a full time athlete, is an individual who competes in organized sports sponsored by an educational institution. Rephrase this for clarity…The majority of individuals are not able to continue their athleticism and their passion for their sport into college for at least four more years that they have played for many years beginning as young children, but those who are fortunate enough should not take it for granted. Colleges should have the same standards for their student athletes academically as they do for their non-athlete students. Colleges should not have exceptions and give their student athletes free hand outs, they should have strict rules and requirements, and colleges should set up tutors and extra help for their student athletes should they need it. Student athletes need to learn how to prioritize their “Three S’s,” study first, sports second, and their social life third. Colleges and universities should keep their standards just as high for student athletes than non-athlete students but Don’t use “in the end”… It’s a cliché…overall in the end it is the student athlete’s responsibility. The tensions between athletics and academics has flared and produced negative attitudes towards student athletes from professors and non-student athletes, due to
DiAunte Bell
Germanna Community College
English 111-44 Friday
Athletics Before Academics?
An anonymous individual once said, “People don’t play sports because it’s fun. Ask any athlete, most of them hate it, but they couldn’t imagine their life without it. It’s part of them, the love/hate relationship. It’s what they live for.” The quote continues saying, “It’s who they are. It’s who we are. We are athletes.” An athlete is an individual who trains to compete in a sporting event. However, there is a fine line distinguishing an athlete and a student athlete, or at least there should be. A student athlete, where student comes first and shows the balance of a full time student and a full time athlete, is an individual who competes in organized sports sponsored by an educational institution. Rephrase this for clarity…The majority of individuals are not able to continue their athleticism and their passion for their sport into college for at least four more years that they have played for many years beginning as young children, but those who are fortunate enough should not take it for granted. Colleges should have the same standards for their student athletes academically as they do for their non-athlete students. Colleges should not have exceptions and give their student athletes free hand outs, they should have strict rules and requirements, and colleges should set up tutors and extra help for their student athletes should they need it. Student athletes need to learn how to prioritize their “Three S’s,” study first, sports second, and their social life third. Colleges and universities should keep their standards just as high for student athletes than non-athlete students but Don’t use “in the end”… It’s a cliché…overall in the end it is the student athlete’s responsibility. The tensions between athletics and academics has flared and produced negative attitudes towards student athletes from professors and non-student athletes, due to
References: Academic integrity and college sports. (2010). Retrieved November 15, 2010 from http://coia.comm.psu.edu/AP.html Baines, Lawrence, & Stanley, Gregory. (2003). Coaching last bastion of academic excellence? Clearing House, 76(4), Retrieved November 11, 2010 from EBSCOhost Jolly, Christopher. (2008). Raising the question #9 is the student athlete population unique? And why should we care? Communication Education, 57(1), Retrieved November 11, 2010 from EBSCOhost Sander, Libby. (2010). Faculty members feel "disconnected" from college athletics. Chronicle of Higher Education, 54(8), Retrieved November 11, 2010 from EBSCOhost Wieskamp, Kathi. (2008). No athlete left behind: an athletic academic support program. Interscholastic Athletic Administration, 34(4), Retrieved November 11, 2010 from EBSCOhost