Athletes Essay, Research Paper

Stereotypes to Athletes

Being an athlete is not as easy as it looks. If you think remembering how to calculate the dimensions of a matrix is difficult, try to breaking down and analyzing your opponents’ ninety plus offensive plays a game and still remember the matrix as well as your other nine to thirteen credits. Even though an athlete is required to do just that, there are many stereotypes that people put on them. ?For example some views are, stupid, careless, cocky, inconsiderate, not really students, and situations are made easier for them). However athletes are just as academically gifted as the non-athlete having less time, which leads to a more disciplined student and person.

A huge part of being a successful student in school is learning how to manage your time. In college there are a lot of events and activities along with school that are appealing to attend. The conflict between these activities and school is realizing what is ?important? and what is not ?and understanding that you have to sacrifice things?). The student athlete has to deal with a busy school schedule and also a demanding sports schedule, not to mention a family and social life. If not structured properly, that will only overbook a day. The student athlete has to learn ?how to manage time? and sacrifice some things if he or she wants to be successful. It ?is essential to the success of an athlete in his or her sport as it is to their academics? to have their time managed well (). One major time management skill is writing out an hourly schedule for all seven days of the week. This is something that will let you know when you have time to do those miscellaneous things, therefore not over schedule and miss important things that is vital to your success. This hard work is a crucial step for a student athlete and it shows how things for an athlete do not come easy.

Some student athletes in college attend school on scholarships. Scholarships are only given in 1a, 1aa, and division 2, not in division 3 athletics. Receiving a scholarship brings a respect for one’s education. Knowing that a several thousand-dollar education is free or discounted, the recipient feels as though they should take advantage of it. This gives some student athletes the point of view that they should, ?get their moneys worth?). However, there are students, both athletes and not, who do not respect their education or the substantial amount of money that goes along with it. Athletes are required a certain GPA and amount of credits just to be eligible to compete. These standards motivate their academic performance.

What the student athlete does with his education is the most important thing. The NCAA?s statistics upon student athletes’ and students’ graduation rates are as follows: percent of total graduating students is 59%. Of that 59%, there is a matching 59% graduation rate among all student athletes, both male and female. Certainly athletes are taking advantage of their opportunity to get an education. This percentage shows that athletes are just as successful as a student not involved with athletics. To be able to ?balance school and the heavy demands of college sports the student athlete must be very disciplined?

The average student athlete works very hard to graduate college and be successful. They have to work hard while being perceived as stupid, careless, cocky, inconsiderate, not really students, and the inclination that situations are made easier for an athlete in school. They have to over come these prejudices and also learn a vast number a time management skills to bring them success.