5 Reasons Why Student-Athletes Struggle

                  

                             

http://gradesfirst.com

When I sat down to write this blog post, my mind began racing through the different areas within athletics and academic support. With hundreds of articles to consider and as many opinions as there are people, I keep thinking of my experience as a student-athlete, the accomplishments, and the challenges which defined my journey. Let’s not forget that for most student-athletes, it is absolutely a unique journey. You know, the student who is primarily focused on the “being an athlete” part of the college experience. It’s with that perspective that I offer a bit of context supporting the struggles student-athletes face academically. From my personal experience, here are the top 5 reasons student-athletes struggle academically:

1. TIME MANAGEMENT https://ukstudentathletes.wordpress.com/time-management-2/

Student-athletes have a lot on their plate. Sure, we all have plenty to balance, but for an 18 to 22 year old, managing this “practice-class-life” balance can be more than a formidable challenge. Maybe it’s practice, class, a video game session with the roommate, or any number of other events college students pack into their day. Managing the pressures of athletics and being a normal college kid is plenty to distract your student-athlete’s academic focus.

2. THE HERO COMPLEX

Many of you that work with student-athletes, are all too familiar with the ‘Hero Complex’. Student-athletes typically step onto the field or court in an athletic role which they are very good at. This confident preparedness – while beneficial to that role – fails to provide the mindset needed to surrender pride and admit that they aren’t good at something. When that “something” is academic related, a major problem is on deck. We all appreciate the confidence needed to hit that walk-off homerun, but the “I’ve got this” mentality doesn’t always translate into a B on a mid-term paper. I’ve seen too many teammates become ineligible because they were too prideful to seek out help. Sad but true. Being scared to ask for a tutor is a major reason student-athletes struggle academically.

3. MOTIVATION http://connection.ebscohost.com/c/articles/12871067/effects-sport-motivation-academic-strategies-attitudes-among-high-school-student-athletes

This could have been number one on the list. Motivation can be an academic killer and sadly, some athletes look at academics as the necessary evil of being a STUDENT-athlete. While some manage to navigate through the fog of classes with enough focus to remain eligible, others forget or entirely fail to realize the true purpose of their scholarship. I’m not going to suggest you can easily change the outlook for this bunch, but short of intervention, this group probably won’t be on the field or court very long. The problem is not always a lack of care, but rather a lack of the background needed to understand the importance of their progress towards a degree. They aren’t a lost cause, just simply lack the necessary perspective to attack and excel in the classroom as they do in their sport.

4. LACK OF ORGANIZATION

The hardest thing I learned as a student-athlete wasn’t on the field or in the classroom. Interestingly, it was a combination of the small things contributing to my success in both settings that became my challenge. We often take organization for granted, as we understand its importance in doing things efficiently and effectively. Student-athletes, however, haven’t been exposed to the pressures they face at this level, nor have they experienced the relief that being organized can provide. For a student-athlete, this can be keeping notes in separate notebooks or simply knowing how many study hall hours they’ve completed this week. These small things pile up and become overwhelming for student-athletes who aren’t used to balancing the demands that come with the student-athlete title.

5. COMMUNICATION

This is probably the most obvious and definitely the most common reason. It’s last on this list because it affects each area in which student-athletes struggle. Communication, or the lack thereof, is a struggle every student-athlete will deal with at some point. “When is that meeting?” “What time is practice?” “Did I forget to email my advisor?” There are several channels of communication and multiple parties with whom student-athletes must communicate. This simple task can become hard to manage when any of the above struggles are present. Communication alone is a struggle that can knockdown even the most capable of student-athletes.

In conclusion, These reasons are why student athletes struggle. I feel that athletes should get some sort of benefits since it is pretty much a job. The hard work you go through hurts you and the should receive something for that. In my next post, I will show you what a Student athlete really goes through.

Discussion Question:

1.) If these student-athletes were to receive benefits, what should they get? In college, should they be paid?