Should Athletes be Forced to Take Harder Classes
2 replies
This is a piece that I just finished writing for my new blog. Please read it, comment on it and let me know what you guys think as it would be much appreciated.
What this means is that less than 1% of high school athletes go on to play professionally, while less than 2% of college athletes (baseball and hockey being the exception) will make a career out of their athletic ability. This then begs the question, should student athletes be forced to take harder classes?
Athletes need to realize that a professional career isn't as much of a slam dunk as they think it is, and that even if they do succeed that success may be fleeting. They should have a back up plan, because it may be called upon at any point. And if they fail to do so? Well they run the risk of becoming a part of a stat line that no one wishes to achieve; a long list of washed up athletes who end up being shells of their once legendary selves and sometimes even pass to early.
http://suitsandsports.blogspot.com/2011/03/should-student-athletes-be-forced-to.html
Desidesforum_veteranLike any other student, they should be allowed to take whatever classes they wish.
"Not you." — Tywin Lannister
I think that you're not giving college athletes much credit when it comes to evaluating there own professional future. There are exceptions but for the most part, they know if they have a chance or not. I speak from experience as a baseball coach of a 17u showcase team. Players looking to play college ball always go to these camps and showcases and it's generally the best way to compare your ability with others. It usually only takes a game or two for my kids to see the difference between your division one, division two, and professional prospects.
It doesn't mean that they stop trying to achieve that goal, because they don't. It just opens their eyes to what's ahead for them. The majority of college athletes are playing their respective sport because they love it, and because it helps pay for tuition, they shouldn't be forced to take any courses that they don't want.
It is no great mystery that many college athletes are put it into majors such as Family, Youth and Community Services when they first enroll in school. Generally it is the academic advisor that recommends the athlete be placed in these majors, because they contain relatively easy classes. The obvious idea behind this is it allows the athlete to maintain the minimum required GPA and remain academically eligible.
I think there's more to it than that. The players who choose those majors are generally players who wouldn't have been accepted into the school without athletics. It would be unfair for those players to place them into something much harder if they simply don't have the mental capacity to do it. You would be setting them up to fail.
Desides has it right. They should be able to choose like everyone else.
Log in to reply.