The promise of playing a sport you love at a wonderful university or college in the US is a longstanding goal of many student athletes I’ve spoken with over the years, but this article makes me wonder if we’re at, or beyond, a tipping point that necessitates the decision-makers to step back and reconsider.
Focusing on a few sports teams within D1 competition, the article describes a situation that sounds overwhelming for a student athlete to navigate and succeed within – academically and athletically. There are descriptions of being involved with far-flung competitions (UCLA women’s basketball playing in Paris and then Hawaii), more expansion of leagues to maximize profit and exposure for universities, and ongoing concerns being voiced about mental health, sleep disruption, and disruption to studies. A member of the NCAA mental health advisory board also states that “we know this is a financial decision, but it’s coming at the physical and mental health cost of the athletes.”
Many years ago, one of my older brothers was involved with men’s rowing at a Canadian university, and although it was on a less intense level than what is described in the article, I’ll always remember him saying that by the time the season was over that he felt so overwhelmed and behind academically that he very nearly dropped out of school.
I know that sports continue to be an integral part of the university experience for many students, but at what cost?
