By Kevin Agee
Academics are an important part of athletics. In order to succeed on the court, you must first succeed in the classroom. A student-athlete's first priority needs to be making the grades that allow him or her to participate in the game they have a passion for. Many student-athletes tend to forget how important academics are.
Playing at a high level on the basketball court is a key to getting recruited to play at the collegiate level. Many factors play a part in this, including size, speed, quickness, athleticism and skills. One important factor that gets lost in all of this is the classroom. A strong student with high character, and the ability to play the game is a gem for college coaches. These are the student-athletes who typically go on to succeed on the court and in life.
Academics, much like athletics, require hard work. Good grades and high test scores come easily to a few student-athletes, but many need to put in the time and effort to be successful. It's not a wise decision to put all of your energy and effort into athletics, while neglecting your academics. Student-athletes who make good grades, and who do well on standardized tests open more doors for themselves in the recruiting process. Different schools have different academic standards, so the better you are academically, the more opportunities you are likely to receive.
With so many student-athletes fighting for limited opportunities, it's important to use academics as a way to separate yourself from the competition. Academics can either be a positive or a negative in this process. It's your decision.
