Letter: Student-athlete defends early class enrollment, questions Cigar editorial
Issue date: 10/24/07 Section: Editorial/Opinion
If every student-athlete took advantage of the early registration system, which is not the case, there would be 32 class spots taken in these majors before normal registration began. Given that many majors have upwards of 20 classes, you are literally talking about one or two student-athletes per class that would be registered before regular registration began. The author is arguing for a difference that is beyond miniscule.
To argue that student-athletes are shaping class schedules around practice is an absolutely false statement. As a member of our track team, our scheduled practice times are from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. I get out of class on Mondays and Wednesdays at 4:15 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:15 p.m. Do not think for a second that I am the exception and not the rule.
Almost all student-athletes have classes that conflict with their scheduled practice times during their years here. The football team practices twice a week as early as 7 a.m. and holds afternoon practices other days. In past years baseball has held practice at 10 p.m. to midnight.
So while you argue for students waking up at the crack of dawn to study or working in the computer lab until midnight, I say you offer no break to student-athletes waking up at the crack of dawn and staying up until midnight to practice. These same student-athletes will then attempt to go home to study, go to work, or attempt to have a social life as well.
The student who works a job 10, 20, or 30 hours a week does not need 20, 30, or 40 of their teammates there in order to conduct a reasonable practice. Although it is easier to conduct individual practices in some sports such as track and field, gymnastics, swimming or golf, I challenge you to watch a football practice consisting of one student-athlete. It would go something like this Joe Smith passes to Smith who breaks a tackle by J. Smith and he breaks outside he's in a foot chase now with Joe Smith down and injured on this past play. As many sports revolve around teams, it is literally impossible to practice without an entire team.
To argue that student-athletes are shaping class schedules around practice is an absolutely false statement. As a member of our track team, our scheduled practice times are from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. I get out of class on Mondays and Wednesdays at 4:15 p.m. and Tuesdays and Thursdays at 3:15 p.m. Do not think for a second that I am the exception and not the rule.
Almost all student-athletes have classes that conflict with their scheduled practice times during their years here. The football team practices twice a week as early as 7 a.m. and holds afternoon practices other days. In past years baseball has held practice at 10 p.m. to midnight.
So while you argue for students waking up at the crack of dawn to study or working in the computer lab until midnight, I say you offer no break to student-athletes waking up at the crack of dawn and staying up until midnight to practice. These same student-athletes will then attempt to go home to study, go to work, or attempt to have a social life as well.
The student who works a job 10, 20, or 30 hours a week does not need 20, 30, or 40 of their teammates there in order to conduct a reasonable practice. Although it is easier to conduct individual practices in some sports such as track and field, gymnastics, swimming or golf, I challenge you to watch a football practice consisting of one student-athlete. It would go something like this Joe Smith passes to Smith who breaks a tackle by J. Smith and he breaks outside he's in a foot chase now with Joe Smith down and injured on this past play. As many sports revolve around teams, it is literally impossible to practice without an entire team.
