Student Athlete Benefits

Athletics have been a part of colleges for over a century, but are they really worth all the time and money that they are given? It is a common myth that college athletic programs bring in tons of money for their school, but in reality, most athletic programs do not make enough money to support themselves. The main purpose of attending any school is to receive an education and become prepared for the real world. That is something often forgotten by student-athletes and schools themselves. Contrary to popular belief, eliminating athletics from college will have more benefits than keeping them.
By not supporting any athletic programs, schools will be able to save money. In his article, “Why Higher Education Should Rid Itself of College Athletics”, …show more content…
In Dave Galehouse’s article “Why College Athletes Do Not Succeed”, he states that “Student-athletes don’t realize the time and effort commitment that they are getting involved in and the sacrifices they are going to make. After classes and practices, student athletes are left with very little free time to do school work and be social with their friends” (Galehouse). It might appear to make someone more well-rounded, but it is not always apparent the amount of stress and fatigue that come with it. Jackson Van Arsdale gives a first person perspective of the difficulties associated with being a college athlete in his article “The Life of a Student Athlete”, he stated “ You are not only behind the rest of the class, but you are on the road. You have to teach yourself the missed material from the back of a bumpy bus, an airplane, or in the computer room of the hotel” (Van Arsdale). This quote shows how hard it can be being a student athlete. They don’t become a more well-rounded person, as their education suffers due to the missed class time and assignments. Athletics may serve as a stress reliever or a way to release from academics, but they will only make students’ education