Collegiate Athletes Worthy

Throughout these articles, the main ideas were athletics taking precedence over academics, transitions from high school to college, why athletes cheat, fairness of regulations, and reform of NCAA policy. While all of these are very different concepts, they come together to help audiences understand all facets of college athletics and the relationship with academics. Although these topics are common through all of the articles, not all authors shared the same views on issues, nor did they all regard them with the same level of

Rebecca Lobo once said“Athletes who take to the classroom naturally or are encouraged to focus on grades should be able to do well in the classroom. I believe the reason you go to college is to get your degree. It's not a minor league or an audition for the pros.” many athletes should read these and apply it to their life because college isn't about trying to play in the pros if you're an athlete sure you can have a dream, but you need to also get a degree that should be the main focus not getting a tryout or an audition for the pros. Every year around one hundred seventy-seven thousand athletic scholarships is given out to those that stood out in their sport, whether it was basketball, football, or even baseball. The kids receiving these scholarships are given a free

Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream, but so did Cassius Clay, Jackie Robinson, and Bill Russell. Long before King’s famous “I Had a Dream” speech or Rosa Parks famous protest came something much simpler: Sports. Sports have always had the ability to open peoples eyes in a way that is more impactful than words or actions. The way that athletics can shape a person’s mind, or open one’s eyes to something beyond what one already believes, is incredible. They can get everyone to root for a common purpose, and for some, that was freedom. The integration of professional and collegiate athletics not only changed sports history, but helped shape American history.

In today’s society money is everything. The common consensus is that the more money you have the better the you life is. Greed makes the world go round. Nowhere is this more prominent or obvious than in the world of sports. In fact one of the main problem with college sports, specifically the NCAA, today is that athletes are not getting an education, thus when they inevitably stop playing sports they often don’t fare so well in the real world. And why are they not getting educated? Money of course.

Collegiate sports have turned into a billion dollar industry and are probably just as popular, if not more popular than professional sports. College athletes put their bodies on the line to play a sport they love, many with hopes and dreams to one day make it to the professional leagues. Athletic facilities are the major money makers for all universities. Colleges bring in billions of dollars in revenue annually, yet athletes do not get paid. Some fans believe athletes should not get paid due to their sports level being “amateurish.”; however, this is far from the truth. There is much more to being a college athlete than just practicing and playing games. These student-athletes must practice, weight lift, go to meetings, travel, go to tutoring and study groups, all the while maintaining sufficient grades. This is very tedious work and is very time consuming. College athletes have a high standard to live up to (Frederick Web; Huma Web; Patterson Web ).

Playing sports in high school and college helps athletes build strong character traits and good habits that will help them throughout their lives. Athletes understand the importance of being on time, working hard, not giving up, and working as a team. All of these things help athletes become better people. Many employers like to hire former athletes because these character traits make for great

Athletes in college receives a lot of attention, through their practices and performance on and off the field.be. They uplift the names of their colleges and give it a name that would otherwise not be acquired. They make their college mates proud of their college, and they may boost enrolment of many others, which would benefit the school. Athletics stand a position to earn a school other benefits, not only to the players but other students too. They may win study scholarships for their school mates by their exemplary performance (Owens et al 20).

Students are expected to work their hardest. Schools will recruit the athletes who will work to keep up their academics and performance. A student mentioned, “But that whole week was designated to my studies because I had to catch up,’ said McCarthy, whose days usually start at 5:32 a.m. and end late at night in front of a textbook. ‘By

When it comes to going to college, one would think that athletic departments at schools like University of Kentucky and University of North Carolina would make the effort to put strong emphasis for their student-athletes to have a high academic standing in order to play. Sadly now a days, the case is the opposite and they ultimately lose as students. Domonique Foxworth, who played college football at the University of Maryland from 2002 to 2004, he sparks conversation with the statement that “When I played college football in the University of Maryland, we kind of had a motto, which is that C’s get degrees. That’s what we do. Everyone pretends, but you know that your responsibility is to win football games.” (Schooled: The Price of College Sports). He also adds that “I knew it was more valuable to my school that I get a C on an exam. An interception on Saturday than it was that I get straight A’s and get no interceptions on Saturday; that doesn’t bring in the fans to fill the stadium” (Foxworth). Kevin Anderson, Athletic Director at University Of Maryland, makes a comment saying “We’re providing an opportunity for a lot of young people that wouldn’t have that opportunity. How do you put a price tag on that? How do you put a price tag on education?”. (Schooled: The Price of College Sports). Foster states on the contrary, “….but football interferes with being a student first” (Foster)

Athletes tend to possess some very common traits some of those being; hardworking, passionate, positivity, confidence, commitment, drive, willingness, focus, and dedication. A tremendous amount of time and commitment goes into being an athlete, to put as much time in as Emily has, has allowed her to develop extraordinary traits to not only help her athletically, but also later in life in the work field. According to an entrepreneurship article, athletes are more likely to be hired or want to be hired compared to the “normal students,” because they have experience with balancing a large workload. Typically athletic departments have a higher grade point average than the normal student body at colleges and universities. Athletes themselves have had to overcome failure and adapt to time management skills more so than the average student, these being the reasons athletes cant transition more easily into the real world because

This is nearly impossible, however, as being a student-athlete is a full time job in itself. Bradley Roby said, “How these colleges are running football programs now, it 's just like the NFL. It 's about results, it 's about winning. That 's what the game is about. Classes, working out, performing week in and week out” (Briggs). Roby’s point of view is one that is seen widely across college athletes. The expectations of the players have grown, but their reward for success has not matured at the same rate.

Branch stated "We are imposing amateurism on these students". I think this is very important because it makes it clear what is really going on in the world of collegiate athletics. Athletes are not given a choice, they are told what to do and how to do it; with no option to object. Before some rules came into play really talented athletes went straight to the professional level without going to college. Now athletes have to go to college for at least one year or so depending on the sport they play. This in turn helps bring in the millions of dollars for the schools. So why can't the athletes that make this all possible receive some form of compensation?

There has been amplified debate on the treatment, education, training of the college athlete. To avoid exploitation of athletes, “The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), formed in 1905, set bylaws requiring college student-athletes to be amateurs in order to be eligible for intercollegiate athletics competition” (Schneider n.p.). Intercollegiate athletics have dramatically changed over the last several decades. Currently, intercollegiate athletics generate tremendous amounts of revenue, remarkably in football and basketball. College sports in America is a

Student athletes have an opportunity to excel in education while still being productive in sports. Taking education seriously and understanding the consequences of lacking education should constantly be communicated to student athletes. The students have commitments that deny them the chance to take part in education actively, but this is normally used to excuse the students for failing to take education seriously. Colleges should realize that student athletes are first students then athletes second. If the students were not in college, they would not take part in sports activities involving the college. This is why the college should instill discipline in the athletes from the time they join the college. College administrators should monitor the performance of student athletes and deny those who fail the chance to play. Many athletes excelled in education and on the field. Joe Thomas is a good example, a football play he currently plays for Cleveland Browns (Doherty). Thomas excelled academically, and he was an honorable student for four years. Thomas was awarded a postgraduate scholarship worth $18,000. This does demonstrate that a student can excel in education and on the field.

Athletic programs in college have grown tremendously since they first began years ago, and now some believe that collegiate athletics have no place in higher education. Contrary to this, if one takes a closer look they see that college athletics do play a valuable role in higher education and should continue to play a part in the college experience. Students who participate in college athletics help carry out their school’s traditions, and by competing at such a high level they have the chance to put their school on the map. While competing, these people handle the load of a full-time college student and learn to be responsible and reliable. Some see college athletics as just a business, but truly they provide an opportunity for young adults to compete in the sport that they love, while getting an education and learning lessons that will last a lifetime.