The Pros And Cons Of Non Athletes

The dumb jock stereotype has troubled athletes for as long as anyone can remember. Athletes are always seen as unintelligent jocks who get free and easy rides through school. They never seem to work hard at anything academically and yet they earn an ‘A’ from their professors. This belief has led to athletes being stigmatized by their non-athletic peers who feel as though their needs and accomplishments are ignored in favor of someone they view as intellectually inferior to them. But, if one were to really look at the situation from both sides it would raise multiple questions like: Do athletes and non-athletes differ from each other? Do athletes get more privileges than the non-athletic student body? Are the non-athletes simply jealous and
lazy? Some people would be quick to say yes that athletes are more privileged than others. And some people would say that non-athletes have it much easier and shouldn’t complain.. But the fact is, athletes do have an advantage over average students that make their paths through college easier to manage.

Athletes and non-athletes have been silent rivals ever since the introduction of sports.
Athletes were always seen as the popular crowd while most non-athletes were the nerds and dorks. Sports teams are put on high pedestals for their accomplishments and are loved and admired by thousands, but when a non athletic team, such as an academic decathlon team, accomplishes something their efforts are often minimized or ignored altogether. When one group is downplayed in favor of another it leads to hostilities that exist in many colleges today. In order to decrease the amount of negative perceptions, both sides need to come to an understanding that athletes are not better than non athletes and vise
versa.

Perhaps the most common cause of tension between athletes and non athletes is that athletes are paid to play their sport. While many respect the time and effort of college athletics, many people don’t believe they should be paid. Athletes are not employees to their college and their scholarships are more than enough compensation. College athletes don’t have to be bothered by prices of textbooks, student loans, meal plans, or the cost of living on campus (McCauley). Athletes who get paid also get to avoid years of debt after graduation. According to the Institute For College Access and Success, the average debt for graduates is $28,400. That’s an immense burden for students whose futures may not have a job waiting for them. When things are examined that way, plenty of students would be more than happy to take on a sport if it meant escaping debt.

Another cause for resentment among athletes and non athletes is that athletes receive lighter punishments for alleged crimes.
If an athlete from a renowned university gets into legal trouble, he or she will likely get off with a tap on the wrist and a warning. But if a regular person were to commit the same crime they would most likely face charges and possibly jail time. Why is that? It is because athletes are held above the law. A prime example of this would be Jameis Winston’s sexual assault scandal at FSU (Florida State University) in 2012. The failure of indicting Winston drew unwanted attention to law enforcement in Tallahassee and Florida State officials (McIntire) and lowered the university's reputation. The New York Times examined police and court records and found that the treatment of the Winston complaint was common in the way police handled allegations against FSU football players (McIntire). From incidents like vehicle theft to cases of domestic violence, many arrests have been avoided and football players have escaped major consequences. With preferential treatment like this it is no wonder that some people hold athletes in such a negative light. If authorities and school officials would do what they were trained to do and punish athletes like they do regular people, the stigma against athletes would
decrease.

Students accepted to universities even though their test scores and grades don’t meet academic requirements have become known as “special admits”. These students exist for many different reasons: to help attract others with similar talents, help the universities remain competitive in the recruiting field, and to accommodate for disadvantaged students (Schrotenboer). In appearance this seems like a helpful thing to do, but it can create problems for the students who were accepted for their hard work. Non athletes who put forth the effort to meet the school's academic standards usually get the worst choice in classes because athletes have been put ahead of them. Non athletes also don’t have access to private tutors and sometimes don’t get the help they need in order to pass their classes.

Many athletes would argue and say that they worked just as hard to be accepted as anyone else and that they shouldn’t be ridiculed. “Athletes are always assumed to have gotten into college because of their talents on the football field or the basketball court,” said E’Rick Wilson, who plays both football and basketball. “People think we’re all freeloaders and don’t do anything to earn our way through school.” Wilson was adamant that athletes were more than what society painted them to be, but because of a select few, they are all viewed as undeserving and overprivileged. “For the most part athletes are just like everyone else, but because of a few show offs and sometimes faculty members, we all get saddled with a negative reputation.”

Stress is also a big problem college students face whether or not they’re athletes. Studies conducted at the University of Evansville and Boise State University showed that non athletes experienced more stress than athletes when it came to financial problems, body image, and academic success. Even though athletes must meet the same academic standards as other students, non athletes reported having more stress from decisions they make about their education (Wilson, 5). Athletes also don’t have to worry about money as much as non athletes due to scholarships. Non-athletic students were faced with finding ways to deal with tuition and daily demands, especially if they are attending a private university. Non athletes are also more vulnerable to having problems with their physical appearances (Wilson, 5). Since athletes tend to have strict training periods and healthier eating habits, they are less likely to have issues with how they look.

To conclude, athletes and non athletes are vastly different groups of people. Athletes clearly have more advantages over the rest of their peers and as a result the line that divides them is most likely to remain for many years to come. If athletes want to rid themselves of the negative stigma, they’re going to have to work had to prove that they are not simply in school because of their talents on the court or field. They must gain the respect of non athletic classmates and other people who view them as undeserving of the privileges they’re rewarded with. If athletes can make these changes then the tension between the two groups should fade with time.