Neil Petrie Athletes Wise Choices Analysis

In the article, Class and Cleats: Community College Student Athletes and Academic Success, Horton first examines the statistics of evidence showing college athletes and their underachievement. There are many instances of concern about college athletes and their poor grades having an affect of their athletic responsibilities, though this belief is usually denied due to a student always being a student before anything else. This study researches the idea of the way that college students and college athletes view success. Many college athletes tend to state that success is passing all courses and being more successful in their sport, rather than academics coming first (Horton, 2009).

Although most student athletes never become professionals, they spend excessive amounts of time playing sports neglecting their education. There are many possible solutions to balance academics with athletics. One possible solution may be to screen perspective student athletes before accepting them into

On the other hand, Petrie also feels sympathy for some of the student athletes. He says that they are working hard to do well in class and sports, while athletics take a lot of time and dedication to be successful. He says that sports take out a lot of a person’s of mental

With Warren Hartenstine’s article in The Baltimore Sun, he is responding to Paul Marx article “Athletes New Day,” with stating the disagreement of facts that Mr. Marx represents about the graduating student athletes. The explanation of the article explains all of the resources student athletes have to succeed while playing the sport. The graduation rate in 2011 was up by 59 percent, 61 percent were women and 56 percent were men (The Baltimore Sun). With these facts there is an explanation that some student are enrolled as “exceptional admits” but there are tutoring programs and the success rate shows that it is working. While in school Hartenstine has the insight to this topic just because he did play Division I football and had the inside look to graduation and success rates as a assistant dean. With more explanations of how the NCAA has scholarships that pay for rooms, tuition, books, and even money for laundry every month. Warren Hartenstine wants players to have discipline and success while being college athletes and within this article he tries showing this explanation.

Another disadvantage, they are claiming, is that athletes get their books and tuition fully covered. They also have a free support staff to make sure that they excel, which includes tutoring, advisers for time management and also to make sure that you are put into the right classes so that you can graduate on time just as everyone else. Within this research, we are going to explore the comparisons between being an athlete and a non-athlete, at Abilene Christian University. The disadvantages and the advantages will also be examine, along wit their success in Graduation rates and growth as a person.

There are these ongoing stereotypes that student athletes are “dumb,” “lazy,” and “privileged.” It’s understandable that people believe these stereotypes, news magazines and reports are always talking about how athletes are “coddled” and “cheat” their way to success. Though it is nowhere near true for the majority of student athletes, a select few situations encourage this negative categorization of us, thus putting student athletes under even more pressure to perform. Student athletes are constantly misjudged and the assumptions are affecting us.

Neil H. Petrie writes an essay on how statistically “Athletes” in collage get special treatment. The author explains how Peter feels that, “the system uses and then discards after the final buzzer.” He mention that a, “football player that went pro’s only went to college just as a step to a six-figure contract.” Even though he felt that it was wrong to just past a player off he also seem to feel remorse. (On page 32) he mentioned that they are capable of getting the grades it’s just “the trouble is that the grinding hours practice …rob students of precious study time.” The system that is known to be stereotype is described to be a parasite. His opinion is that a student should not be showed any favoritism based upon what they are doing

In today’s culture, college athletics are put on a higher pedestal than the actual focus of college, which is the education. This causes the college athletes to put a greater emphasis on athletic over academic performance. Both in Red Smith’s “The Student Athlete” and in Tim Ajmani’s “Compensation for College Athletes?” it is discussed how the athlete’s educations are not only given up on by the ones providing it for them, but the athletes are taught to do the same to themselves.

Furthermore, Neil added that a low number of student athletes graduate due to the pressure, stress, and overload of commitments. In contrast, I find that not to be true because I have seen several of my teammates graduate, along with my sisters and friends on other sports teams. Later Neil said, “I soon discovered that the prevailing stereotypes did not always apply” (pg 32). Neil supports his statement by expanding on the diversity of student athletes in activities of daily living.

“Big time college sports... selects athletes mainly for their athletics, not academics, interests, and abilities” this shows that in reality colleges view athletes more as “athletes-students” than “student-athletes” (Eckard 211). This only goes to show why the graduation rate for college athletes is so low. However higher education make their graduation rate seem more favorable so that they can continue to get and recruit more skilled amateur players to generate millions of dollars for their facilities. Although some may say colleges do a effective job of taking care of and graduating their student-athletes, conversely colleges’ student athletes graduation rate is low and the student athletes don't get what they desire. If colleges start putting the students first in the term “student-athletes” then there would be more college student-athletes making the grade.

College athletes are put into games that are not only televised nationally, but sometimes even worldwide. They gain acknowledgement similar to famous figures that any other person would covet. What goes unnoticed is the life behind the player. How’s their school grades? What do they do with their time? Being a student athlete means that person must manage time between school work and a busy sport schedule. This person also must fulfill the academic requirements of a student athlete to be eligible to play. The requirements are set at a 2.3 minimum GPA and 16 completed core classes. Of those 16 classes, ten must be completed before the start of senior year, and 7 must be completed with english, math, or science classes. Transfer students are

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.

College level competitive sports have many beneficial factors that follow its path for students. On the top of the list is leadership development. Once in the real world where you have to take initiative at a certain job or internship to move up the ladder for the bosses watchful eyes, these skills can be developed experience from college athletics programs. "Sports are educational in the best sense of that word because they teach the participant and the observer new truths about testing oneself and others, about the enduring values of challenge and response, about teamwork, about discipline and perseverance. Above all, intercollegiate contests — at any level of skill — drive home a fundamental lesson: goals worth achieving will be attained only through effort, hard work and sacrifice, and sometimes even those will not be enough to overcome the obstacles life places in our path." (Grace Chen)

The pressure the coaches put on their players has a positive reflection on their grades. Coaches will push and nag for their student athletes to go to tutorials, get to know your professor, and even sit in the front so the teacher can know you are serious about your education. The graduation rate for student athletes is much higher than regular students. “More student athletes

“To this day, after being in this business … the best day on a college campus is graduation, When I see kids I had a relationship with … graduating, you feel like you had a part in that.” David Williams, Athletic Director of Vanderbilt Athletics. Being around sports my whole life and now currently coaching a basketball team, I have encountered a few athletic directors and their supporting cast, which in a high school, it’s the principal and the administration staff. In some circumstance, especially from most coaches’ point of view, it is always about the result of the team and how good the players are. For some athletic directors, it is the same, but at the school I coach, it is also about