Haley Dallas

Features Editor

   To play, or not to play-- that is the question: whether ‘tis smarter in college to pursue the sport of your choice or to forgo that challenge and focus on studying.  For a lucky few high school athletes who are offered the opportunity to continue playing their sport at the next level, many find themselves asking: Will collegiate athletics benefit me? How will my grades be affected? The advantages of playing college athletics go beyond the scholarship monies to include academic support, healthier choices, and team camaraderie.

    First and foremost for most seniors considering playing college is the scholarship money. Scholarships make the task of paying for college much easier on the athlete and the parents or guardians. Unlike grants, financial aid, and other need-based scholarships, athletic scholarships are simply based on the value of the athlete to the team they are joining and how far the coach is willing to go to attain such a player. Generally the higher the scholarship, the more important the player. The scholarship is a reward for all of the hard work and hours of practice a player has put in to attain the honor of playing this collegiate sport.

    The College Sports Project did a survey comparing academic performances of athletes and non athletes and reported that “Students on teams in some sports had higher class ranks than did their counterparts not competing on teams. For example, both men’s and women’s cross country yielded higher average percentile class ranks than did their classmates who are not on intercollegiate teams. Men’s tennis, women’s soccer, and women’s track also ranked relatively high on academic outcomes.” Granted, depending on the coach and the circumstance, an athlete’s main focus could be encouraged to be sports and not schooling. However, reputable programs support academic success. Eric Larue, the Assistant Coach for the women’s tennis team at Austin Peay State University says, “We have programs in place to keep the students focused and organized. If one of their grades falls below a B, they have a mandatory amount of hours they must attend study hall to ensure that that grade improves. We use the assets that the school gives us, like private tutors for challenging classes, that other students may not have.” Clearly, not all coaches are so set on winning that they look over the fact that athletes are also students.

    High school students also dread gaining the infamous “freshman fifteen” in their first year of college and even in the years that follow. College athletics ensure that those extra pounds from your poor college student diet will stay away and, in most cases, actually get you into better shape! The consistent workouts, practices, and competitions at the college level will maintain and improve endurance, strength, and skill.

    Last, but certainly not least, the opportunity to play their sport and immediately be involved in a family-like team is something few can pass up. Typically, high school athletes invited to play at the next level have been honing their talents for years in a team environment. Being immediately involved with a group of students that have the same commitment to a shared goal is rare for college kids, but for college athletes, that is a reality.

    Overall, the benefits of playing college athletics including the programs put in place to keep athletes on track outweigh any negative consequences of committing the time and effort required to compete at that level. So, to play, or not to play: that is the question. My answer is a strong suggestion to take full advantage of the opportunity to play a college sport; the benefits will far exceed anything I can conjure in a newspaper article.