Student Athlete: What it truly means
September 15th, 2008 - byEvery kid dreams of playing college sports. Saturday morning football, March Madness, and the College World Series all give us fond memories. But many do not understand that being a student-athlete is never easy. After competing in college athletics, I learned that time management was essential. Our basic schedule consisted of early morning workouts, school, practice, and then more school. I quickly realized that if I didn’t make the grades, I would not be around for long. At this level, you are a student-athlete, not an “athlete-student.”
What many high school athletes don’t understand is the time and commitment that goes into competing at the next level. College athletes are treated like professionals due to the emergence of the billon dollar television coverage, weekly publications, and the mighty power of the internet. Unfortunately, many of today’s athletes have forgotten their role as a student and put the focus on their professional career.
Just last season, 17 Division 1A football programs were hit with scholarship sanctions due to poor academic performance. Other notable institutions which currently face penalties include the University of Michigan, University of Florida, and Hawaii. In 2007, the Florida State Seminoles suspended 36 players for a cheating scandal and poor academic performance. These acts have cost schools millions of scholarship dollars which affects their recruiting budget.
Receiving a college degree was one of my best accomplishments, and no one can take away from me. I want student-athletes to learn the basics of what it takes to be great both on the field and in the classroom.
- Showing up!
Your presence alone tells teachers and classmates you care and are there to make a difference. Have the discipline to show up on time and give the respect to your instructor.
- Sit up Front!
A lot of my teammates sat in the back and had their headphones on. How can you learn what is going on? By sitting in the front of class, I had complete focus on my instructors. I wasn’t distracted by other students and it also made it impossible to lose focus of what material was being taught.
3. Participate in discussion!
By actively in engaging in conversation, you couldn’t be more in-tune with the rest of the class. All of sudden, what many consider drudgerous, is now fun!
I followed these simple principles and learned so much in my 5 years of college, earning a Bachelors of Science. Make your college experience a great one. Know your responsibilities and why you are there!
