http://t.foxsports.msn.com/college-basketball/ncaa-council-approves-proposal-for-unlimited-meals-snacks-for-di-athletes-1
I am no expert on college sports...but these kids are all playing sports by choice, right? so they want to be paid to play while they are in college? how about they decide what is really important to them learning or making money playing sports.
As the parent of a senior who is attending a community college to limit the amount of debt she incurs I can't help but resent the sense of entitlement coming from the article,
so what do you all think?
Most of the students who play college athletics are on partial scholarship (i.e., tuition only), so some of them are also taking on debt to attend college. Whether they're on full scholarship or partial, they put in HOURS of practice and conditioning, and they allow their photographs to be used to promote the college. They risk injury.
I think they deserve something -- How much? That's the question.
If you think of the college athlete as an employee of the college (which they are), then it makes sense that they'd be paid for their time and effort. If they're on scholarship, then they're already getting paid -- to some extent. It makes sense to look at how many hours they're working for the sport, how expensive the school is, and then decide whether an actual check is fair or not.
Your question sounds like sour grapes: Why doesn't my kid get some benefit?
I feel for him, but he should have known what his scholarship included before he started. Those on a full ride, the meal plans would be included as part of the dorm costs but not all of them get a full ride.
I will say this, and I can only speak for football and baseball, some of these kids are recruited and have no parent figure that can go with them to meetings with the coaches. Many of them probably hear "scholarship" and assume its a full ride when, in fact, its not. They are recruited using partial scholarships, academic scholarships or whatever the coach can get for them. For those without a parent or guardian to go with them to get the details of what they have to pay or without a good, caring high school coach that does this for them; I can certainly see this happening.
I have talked college fees, scholarships and all the rest with high school kids since my sons were in high school. When my eldest was visiting college coaches sometimes we would take other players with us and I realized that some of them had no idea about the costs and what those $ amounts the coaches were throwing out meant. And these same kids may or may not be aware of grants and loans or have the information they need from their family to get these things.
I don't think they should be paid, I think that it would throw way too much money at kids that have no idea how to handle it. But I do understand how some can be on scholarship and still be in need.
I agree that many high school seniors are woefully unaware of how college costs work, and when they hear "scholarship", they figure that means they won't need to arrive on campus with more than a few dollars for an occasional pizza. They're shocked when they learn that orientation costs money, dorms require deposits, books cost how much?, you have to pay to park!, and so forth. Case in point: Last weekend we visited a college Open House and took along a friend of my daughter's. She and I go way back, and she asked me about a thousand questions (some about money, some about admissions and academics). She kept saying, "Neither of my parents went to college. Please tell me what I need to know." I'm glad to help her, and she's very willing to ask me things -- but how many kids don't have anyone to ask? Of course, those are the same students who don't attend the guidance office's "College Funding roundtables" AND don't read about money, etc. on the internet.
I think there needs to be some changes like scholarships are guaranteed for four or five years even if a player is injured and can no longer play. I also think there needs to be a strong look at how many players a college level team really needs. I mean many of those football teams have more players on full scholarship than nfl teams have on payroll. Do they really need to be three deep at every position or can some players on the third strong do double duty.
This can be written into a scholarship contract, but most kids don't know it's a possibility. One of my favorite students ever -- and this has been 10 years ago perhaps -- had a father who'd played ball in college, so he knew a thing or two. He insisted that she have something written in about injuries. Sure enough, sophomore year, she tore her ACL (so common), needed surgery, and sat out a year . . . but, because her father had been long-sighted, she didn't lose her scholarship. However, not every athlete has such a well-informed father.
Athletes can also lose their scholarship (and spot on the team) if their grades aren't up to par. The teams provide tutors and require mandatory study hours, but these student athletes do spend a great deal of time 1) practicing, 2) traveling for the team, which sometimes means missing classes . . . and their grades can suffer because of their sport. Sometimes these kids are caught between a rock and a hard place: Do I do what's right for my sport, which means keeping my scholarship . . . or do I do what's right for my academics, which is about my future career? They have some great perks (athletic dorms, special meals, tutors, priority registration, and more), but it's not an easy college experience.
I don't know about other schools, but I do know that the university here gets a boatload of money from alumni due to the athletic programs, a huge amount is made off one football game. Going by what a high school makes off one home game, it really is a huge amount.
And while I think academics and the arts are what is most important, I do realize that neither of those make money for them. Athletics do.
All true, and most of those kids who are earning that money for the college will never go on to play pro sports. Very, very few of them will play beyond college.
