After the tough loss to Illinois this past weekend, it is only right that I make sports the topic of discussion for this week’s blog. I haven’t written about sports yet, and I would say that there are controversial opinions surrounding athletics throughout the United States for many reasons. What I would like to focus on specifically is the experiences that college athletes go through while having the commitment to their education as well as to their sport.
First, there is the idea of the glorification of becoming a college athlete. Most students who want to play in college or professionally as an adult understand the steps that they must take to achieve playing at a Division I school. This brings us back to the early high school days and even back to club sports in grade school. These young kids have an immense amount of pressure coming from parents, coaches, and even from themselves. Not only are they putting an immense amount of stress on themselves at a very early age, but they are shifting their expectations of the sport for themselves. While it used to be a fun activity that brought happiness into their lives, it has now become a prime stress factor. Once the student has done all they could and ideally become a D1 athlete (which not many are able to achieve), they now have a new range of goals and expectations to meet. Now, you are up against a group of athletes who are at your level, if not, even better than you. It’s like a never-ending cycle, and in some cases, students handle this pressure very well. However, there are also a high number of individuals who become overworked, and they deteriorate their physical and mental health in this entire process.
Second, there is the questioning of the purpose of these sports. Is this something that you want to pursue as a career, or is it something you’re okay with ending after college ends? Most student-athletes who play football, specifically, aspire to make it to the NFL. Unfortunately, less than 2% of college athletes actually make it to the NFL. So, what happens to the dreams of all these athletes? What happens to all that they have worked for their entire lives? In my opinion, it makes me sad to see so many students giving their all, just to possibly get an unideal outcome in the end. There has also been conversation about college athletes not being allowed to get paid. While I do not think that college athletes deserve a salary, especially since many have their education financially covered because they play a sport, I do believe they should be able to profit off their image and name since they have worked for it. That being said, there has been a change in law allowing college athletes to make money off different things such as brand deals, social media, and more. Honestly, it’s their name and it’s what they’ve worked for, so no one should really have control over that.
There are so many ways to discuss this topic, but this is my take on it. What are your thoughts on the experience of a college athlete?
This is such an interesting topic! I frequently think about the college athletic system as a whole, especially because athletes put so much time into their sports just to, inevitably, most likely not continue the sport outside of school. It is also interesting to think about the pay for having a reputation, especially since a lot of college athletes are now using social media to make money as well as doing their sports.
Super interesting post, Michelle! College athletics are an enigma. I think it’s bad to put so much pressure on athletes and that maybe there should be programs and such to help players find careers if they don’t get into the NFL. But, I also agree that they’ve worked very hard for their name and brand — so they deserve credit for that!! Awesome job!
Being a college athlete is definitely not for the weak. It’s a lot of work and dedication, but with that being said it is the life that they choose to pursue in hopes of attaining their dream to play pro. I agree with you that college athletes should be able to profit off their own name/brand, but I think a larger focus needs to be on their academics. A lot of the D1 athletes I’ve talked to are just barely passing if that, the majority are undecided majors, and if we’re being honest a lot of them don’t really know what they want to do with their life outside of their sport. Without their sport, a lot of them would be lost and seeing as majority of their athletic careers will end after college, I wonder where that leaves a lot of them in life. Great blog Michelle! This was a very interesting perspective!