Athletes should not be forced to attend college

Blake Miller

Academics and proper education is definitely something that people should prioritize in life, as it is the backbone of our nation’s future success. Without our youth being knowledgeable, intelligent, and educated, America would be in for a rude awakening as the younger generation grows into adulthood.

But there are also a great number of career paths that don’t really require a traditional academic education. For example, actors, musicians, photographers, painters, and comedians don’t particularly require a college degree in order to become professionals – and successful – in their respective fields.

Not unlike the movies, TV, music, photography, and art, the world of sports is also its own form of entertainment. If someone like Leonardo DiCaprio doesn’t have to attend college to become one of the world biggest stars, then why did Kevin Durant and Odell Beckham Jr. have to go college just to be eligible to make millions of dollars using their athletic abilities. An athlete’s skill set should be valued equally with those of actors and musicians who are not forced to attend college before they can make a living in the field of their choice.

Instead, athletes are forced into the broken NCAA system, which frankly is akin to indentured servitude. Instead of playing sports professionally where athletes get paid for their performance, athletes are forced into a system where they do not get paid, cannot make money through promotions and marketing, and cannot even work an outside job to provide for themselves.

Yes, many of these athletes get their academics paid for, along with housing and food, but not all of them are interested in pursuing a college degree. In fact for many, their main goal is purely to pursue a professional athletic career.

If an athlete is ready with the skill and ability to make it onto an NFL or NBA roster, then they should be allowed to do just that.

Again, the importance of education should never be questioned. But if other “entertainers” can dropout of high school to pursue a dream career, why then are football and basketball players forced to attend college, just to be eligible for the NFL and NBA.

And what about the athlete who has grown up in an impoverished environment. Shouldn’t they be given the opportunity to provide for their family on his or her own timeline. That’s why some believe we should start allowing athletes to forgo the ABCs if they simply wish to pursue a PDQ plan, pretty darn quick – and I agree.


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4 COMMENTS

  1. This is a foolish article with a false premise.
    No high school athlete is forced to attend college.
    Professional sports leagues, which are private enterprise, have an absolute right to set minimum
    age requirements for eligibility to their leagues.
    Presumably, safety of player and league liability for
    serious injury, are factors likely considered.
    Because the risk of serious injury in baseball is obviously less than football, MLB permits players from high school to become professional players and then their skills are honed in the minor leagues with the benefit of professional coaches.
    Can you seriously suggest the risk of serious injury
    to an 18 year old football player is not enormously
    greater if competing against professional football players in their 20s and 30s who are at the peak of their physicality?
    Your premise is devoid of thoughtful reasoning.
    If you choose to ascribe little or no value to a college education, do you ascribe any value to the sports education of years of coaching from college coaches who teach the player how to improve at his chosen craft? Or to the sport specific strength trainers? Or to the team training tables for proper nutrition to attain the proper body composition to compete at elite levels? Or to learn how to watch film and learn by what is seen?
    If you are going to advocate positions publicly, you might consider a bit more depth of thought on your subject.

  2. I agree with the author, this does not desuade those athletes that want to go to college it just does not make it a requirement. Only the elite have a chance at being drafted out of highschool. You would never make a chemist play nall to graduate, why make a ball player take chemistry? They are both skilled in different ways. These players that make it to that level have dedicated their lives to that skill. They have made a lot of money for their highschools and off season leagues why hold them hostage requiring them to attend two years of college before they can be drafted professionally. I am college educated however it’s not for everyone. There will be those athletes that college is a great fit and their athletic ability will afford them an education but there’s also those who are not. Lastly, and this is food for thought- we do not require those that play baseball, golf, tennis or swim to attend college before being drafted professionally…only basketball and football.

  3. Only a small percentage of athletes are good enough to become professional athletes. The rest that aren’t good enough to be professionals will need to find another career. Even players that are drafted by the professional leagues often fail at the professional level forcing them to either play in another league with less talented players or find another career. If you haven’t played your sport at the college level then you’re not likely to know whether or not you are good enough to make the pros.

  4. Really? What happens when that athlete, now fairly dumb because if your no education plan, busts a knee, ankle, or shoulder, and can’t play? What now genius? You’re assuming all players can make it to the pros. Less than 1% of college athletes make it to pro level play. Sports is just a way into college for many. I have a better plan, take athletics out of college altogether. We’re the only country in the world that combines education with sports in college and university study. Why is that? The only answer is money, marketing, and merchandising. It makes no sense, the schools with the biggest athletic budgets, who have the most popular teams that make millions off their teams, are also the most expensive schools to attend. It’s a completely broken model of education. But I strongly disagree that we should support any notion that an education is not necessary because you play ball well.

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