There is the wide ranging perception that athletic programs at many universities especially for the high profile sports and even more-so in the NCAA with the TV coverage and big time investments, are inconsistent with the school’s mission statements.
The term “student-athlete” basically means (or should mean) that they are students first, and then athletes. There will always be those individuals that regardless of the rules and regulations that stipulate that they are not allowed to, will believe some student-athletes still receive preferential treatment and extra benefits while in university. Some recruited athletes are not prepared for the cascade of academic work to be done in conjunction with the athletic demands of their sport. The athletic pressures that accompany being a scholarship athlete can leave them unprepared and with little time for academics. The USport reality if very different that what we see in the NCAA. Even, then, in the NCAA, outsiders see that top sports at the biggest institutions, but this represents a very small percentage of all the student-athletes that are pursuing school and athletics at the same time. In Canada, within USport, we are seeing an increase in the amount of money invested in Athletic Financial Awards (AFA ) our equivalent of the so called athletic scholarship. Unlike the NCAA, there is no such thing as a full ride. AFAs by rule can only cover up to a maximum of tuition costs and all mandatory fees. Regulations prohibit award financial awards to cover things like books along with room & board. Any form of financial assistance which is deemed to be available only to student-athletes and that exceeds tuition and fees is by Usport rules, a non compliance. With more and more funds being put into AFA, the rules associated with how we treat the student athlete must change. It is not unreasonable to suggest that as the "business" of university athletics changes then the way we treat the student athlete must change as well. To be honest, I don't foresee Canadian university sport reaching a point where revenues which reach the levels that we see in the US, but as schools look to increase their competitive ability by investing in athletes, it is important that there is a reality check kept in place. Canadian university sport is not a stepping stone to the highest levels of professional sport. It happens of course but the reality is that Canadian student-athletes tend to finish their degrees and should a chance to go pro arise, then great. While to the south. in some sports, we see the one and done reality where athletes attend university as a way to increase their "draft value" or because their sport's rule require a certain amount of time out of high school before they can declare themselves draft eligible. Athletic programs at some universities may be inconsistent with the school’s academic missions. The focus on maintaining a strong athletic program can take precedence over the scholastic quality of the student-athlete that is accepted into the institution. For the student-athlete this can mean lowered academic admissions standards and preferential treatment in school. On the other hand, many student-athletes are attending university but not really learning, so what happens to them once their playing days are over? At their inception, athletic programs were first incorporated into institutions of higher learning for several reasons: it was believed that participation in sports helped to build character, it provided entertainment, and it generated positive school and community spirit. It was also believed that athletics could contribute to the institutional mission through resource acquisition in the form of money, widespread visibility, increased student enrollment, and enhanced alumni support. For much of the early part of the 1900s , university sport was seen as the competitive level of sport, whereas professional sports were seen as rogue league trying to cash in. It is not a question of whether or not the experience for a student-athlete is different from that of a traditional student. Instead, the issue at hand here is whether or not student-athletes are students that participate in extracurricular competitive sports, or have become athletes that also go to classes whenever their athletic schedules allow. On one hand, it can be argued that the student-athlete benefits greatly from the relationship that he or she has with the athletic department and its stakeholders. It is a fact, that some student-athletes attend university as a way to extend theirs sports careers after having exhausted the other avenues of competitive leagues available within their sport. Whether we look withing Canada or to the south in the NCAA, the reality is that a very small percentage of student-athlete go on to make a living as pro athletes. I have written a few times previously about what I perceive to be the advantage of being a student-athlete, whether in terms of the enhanced experience during the university years or the well rounded skill set that successful student-athletes bring with them into the work force. There is no denying that some student-athletes still receive preferential treatment and extra benefits while in university, the questions is whether or not , these benefits are in contradiction with their institution's mission statement or also in violation of USport or NCAA rules. Student-athletes entering their first year hold more responsibilities than the non-athletic participating student, this is a fact even under the best intentions and with total compliance to rules, and it may be more difficult for them to transition through changes in athletic participation demands on top of the new social and academic changes. For many student-athletes, they are moving away from home , away from friends and family and thrust into a new environment, often is a new city or province. Athletes spend 2- to 30 hours per week on their sport which is mentally and physically exhausting, allowing them little time or energy to put toward their studies.This is one of the reasons there is the perception that coaches tend to require they take “easy” courses and “easy” majors so that they have a better chance of maintaining academic eligibility and can still compete. Does this happen? I am sure it does, however it is also true that student-athletes, might spread their courses over an extended period of time ( for example of Quebec based students, taking 4 1/2 or 5 years to complete their 3 year degree) as a way to lighten their course load during the competitive season but allowing them to play 1 or 2 additional years at what for many might be the tail end of their sports careers. The key in my opinion is balance, balance between academics and athletics but most important, balance between the business of the university sport and an academic institution's mission statement. Luckily, our Canadian reality is such that big revenues are not the same revenue, however some of the negative aspects of university sport do surface as certain universities might try and enhance their competitive advantage. They motivations for "cheating" are not the same but at the same time, the level of exploitation of the student-athlete is not as significant. When we look to the south, we see many many of examples of how the influx of big money affects university sport and student-athletes more directly. It is interesting to note who benefits from this enormous amount of money. The big conference coaches are allowed agents and sign contracts that bring them hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars per year in salary alone. The NCAA and the universities benefit from the billions of dollars made and do not have to pay taxes on their earnings as they are claiming that athletic functions are in line with their academic missions. Corporations and the media benefit as they get business from the exposure at the athletic events. The student-athletes are the only group involved that are not able to benefit proportionally from the billions of dollars raked in each year. The NCAA claims that student-athletes are classified as such for a few very important reasons. First, athletes need to be able to claim amateur status. They do this by remaining academically in good standing and by also not receiving any pay or gifts for their performance or presence as a student-athlete. This way the NCAA can require them to perform work as athletes for free because it is considered part of the educational mission, which also means that they do not have to pay taxes on their profits. The long hours that the student-athletes are required to put in are due to the athletic department’s attitudes of having to “win at all costs.”. This can lead to heavily publicized athletic scandals of schools that will pay athletes in money or gifts to attend their schools, or grade changes in order to keep athletes academically eligible. Fans and stakeholders of big time programs would rather win and later get busted for cheating than finish middle of the pack every year with a rule following program of student-athletes. If we really want to ensure that individuals are student-athletes and not athlete-students, there are many changes or support structures that can be implemented which will help the focus on academics remain. Perhaps ensure that institutions no longer make admissions exceptions for the "gifted athlete" eliminate freshman eligibility or at least perhaps modify academic eligibility requirements for first year student-athletes as the transition from high school or cegep is tough enough when someone is just an athlete, provide remedial classes, study halls and training on academic related areas like time management, writing skills, reduce time demands; allow athletes the freedom to transfer schools whenever they would like without a penalty of having to sit out a year so that if they wish to change universities for academic reasons, they can still play their sport, or conversely, won't stay at a school just because they don't want to miss out on athletic participation. Focusing on the “athletic” aspect of being a student-athlete more than the “student” is unfair and will limit the experiences that the student-athlete should have while enrolled at the university of their choice. In order for the student to be well-rounded, programs must focus on the concepts of self-sufficiency, independence, and personal goal getting. Almost all student-athletes will end up as a professional in something other than sports. It needs to be ensured that the students will succeed off the field as well as on the field. University is meant to prepare students for the real world. This thought holds just a true for a student-athlete. By failing to adequately prepare our student-athletes the institution also fails to serve this important function. Many feel that the whole university community benefits greatly from a very successful athletic program. Although preferential treatment may be given to certain student-athletes in order for them to be able to attend and complete an academic program and play for the athletic department, many believe it can be justified. It can be argued that many of these athletes would never make it in a higher education program if there were no sports programs to help them get there, and no motivation for them to try to attend. On a small scale, the university, directly the athletic department, benefits from the athletes because they help in growing the program and making it a success. A large number of the student-athletes benefit from the university because it provides them with a quality and aspect of life that they normally would not be able to experience. It is only a tiny minority that benefit from the institution preparing them for a future in professional sports. I think it is important that the terms student-athlete reflect exactly how an individual is guided during their time at university. The same way student comes before athlete, so should academics come before athletics. However if I was coaching at some huge revenue generating university in the NCAA making millions, might I think differently. I sincerely hope not.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorAfter many years of coaching at various levels and with different teams, I thought I would share some of my experiences and thoughts about coaching. Archives
January 2023
Categories
All
|