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Introduction
Imagine it’s a Thursday night, you have practice for 2 hours at 7p.m. You also however have homework for two assignments and a quiz due the next day. Are you going to do the school work before or after practice? For most student athletes the answer is after. For many students at various levels of schooling can find it hard and stressful sometimes to juggle school work and their sports at the same time. It splits their lives in two, and they have to make the choice of which is more important to them. “Unfortunately, this quite often puts them in a position of academic schizophrenia, where they have two completely separate sides to their lives, often with catastrophic consequences” (Rhatigan, 1984; Zingg,1982).
Why do students chose athletics over school?
Most student athletes who choose to put more of their energy and time into sports rather than schooling or a career path find that they choose this because they feel that they have a future in professional sports. They feel more confident in their abilities and skills to play the game, than they are to pursue a career and get their degree in college. What’s wrong with pursuing a career in professional sports? It’s the chances of even getting to that point. The NCAA did a study where “statistics from l981 reveal that less than 2 percent of athletes participating in high school sports will become pros, and less than 1 percent of those who participate in college sports are ever successful in NBA or NFL careers” (NCAA, 1981). Most male athletes don't realize this and after high school and college they find themselves in tough situations when moving on to the next chapter in their lives. And the only reason I say male athletes is because the statistics show that many more male student athletes have claimed to have goals or pursue playing sports at the next level than female student athletes. “While non-athletes are preparing for careers and new, adult identities, successful high school athletes come to college with a highly developed sense of themselves as athletes. They have a label to define themselves by, and coming to college reinforces the importance and value of this label for them. While most students are forced to confront the question of "Who am I?" as a normal part of working through the task that Erikson calls Identity vs. Role Con-fusion , athletes have an answer to this question(Erikson, 1959). Student athletes who think this way are not always focused on doing their best work possible in school, they are more worried about being eligible and getting a grade sufficient enough that gets them through the class.
Who can help student athletes?
Another part that plays into the academic struggles for student athletes, mostly at the college level, is that teachers and schools don’t try to help in the right way. In today’s world with recruiting at the Division I level, the schools are recruiting kids more and more for their athleticness and their talent rather than their academic achievement. The sports programs are pushing to get the most out of each player which isn’t necessarily bad intentions, but it does affect the mindset of the student athlete to also put more time into sports. Time is so sparse to them that when they have extra time they put it into their sport rather than tutoring or help from a teacher. Teachers most of the time teach all their students the way and expect the same from the student athletes as much as regular students. This is expected because all students should get equal teaching and help. The difficult part to deal with is because of these time constraints student athletes feel like they are behind and aren’t able to keep up with some of the peers in the classroom. If the teachers wish for the student athlete to succeed and stay motivated to learn, there does need to be some flexibility from the teachers. All students should get the same opportunity, yes, but even then not all students are on the same level.
Student athletes also miss out on the developmental side that college can give you. Colleges are a mixing pot of their own, they put young adults from all over the country into new environments and give them a chance to grow and become independent while also meeting new people. If you’re a student athlete you automatically interact with your teammates and coaches, but outside of that group you feel as if you don’t have the time to explore new opportunities. “One of the most useful models to use to discuss the student athlete from a developmental perspective is William Perry's scheme of the ethical and intellectual development of college students (Perry, 1971). Using Perry's model, athletes exhibit many of the characteristics of Dualistic thinking and live in a classic Dualistic environment. The college athletic environment, with its rigid schedule, little opportunity for expanded social interaction, strong emphasis on authority figures, and directive approach to leadership, encourages student-athletes to see the world in dichotomous terms of Right/Wrong, Good/Bad and to see authority figures as being able to provide them with clear direction and evaluation.” College athletes need to make sure on their part to keep their life balanced; not all their time should be spent on one aspect of their lives. Your academic success and individual development are way more important in the long run. And the athletes who have figured that out actually do better in their sport as well.
Conclusion
College sports can be tricky for a student. Their goals in life may be focused on their sport and if they have the passion and work ethic they can fulfill those goals, but student athletes need that same mentality in the classroom. Improving these issues can be won on both sides as the student and teachers. The student's job is to ask for help when needed and to balance your time. School should come first followed by your athletics and social life. Teachers can reach out to student athletes who are struggling between their two worlds and help them find their motivation in learning and academic success. Student athletes and teachers who see this hopefully will find this article useful in their own classrooms.
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