Over the years, the sports world has become an even more competitive industry. Colleges and coaches are going to extremes to make sure they win. With that, student-athletes are expected to sacrifice a lot. A sacrifice the average college student does not have t
o make.
College athletes have to sacrifice a lot in order to even be on the team.
First, I want to say that being a college athlete is a special opportunity and there is a lot to gain from the experience. I just want to share my thoughts on the sacrifices many college athletes have to make that get overlooked.
College athletes sacrifice the typical college experience. College is supposed to be some of the best years of your life; it’s time to make new friends, socialize, party, and do things at the spur of the moment.
As an athlete, this is not what our college experience looks like. Every moment of your day belongs to the University and coaches. Being a student and an athlete is your job.
On top of that, all your decisions reflect your school, team, program, and reputation. Student-athletes don’t get to go party and drink from “Thirsty Thursday” till Saturday.
Not saying college athletes don’t party and drink, they do, but athletes make that sacrifice knowing that it hurts their bodies recovery, dehydration, and reaction time.
They don’t get the luxury of hanging out with friends often. They aren’t able to take many vacations, spur of the moment weekend trips, or have wild spring break trips. Often athletes have practice, games, and many coaches have a no drinking policy.
One of the toughest sacrif
ices is not being able to be home during some holidays. Depending on the sport, many athletes don’t have the opportunity to go home and be with their family for Thanksgiving and sometimes even Christmas.
Often athletes have holiday tournaments and games or go to school across the country and aren’t able to make it home.
Student-athletes aren’t able to miss class, there is usually a coach checking in the classroom and checking up with your professor.
Student-athletes know what its like to sacrifice, and give something up to the sake of something or someone else. This directly translates into the workplace today, as many individuals are not able to spend much time with their loved ones because of their careers.
Having gone through this experience in athletics better prepares former athletes for the sacrifices work and life will throw at them later.
Share your thoughts with me on sacrifice!
Athletes Into Business 