Leslie,
I was browsing through our classmates’ blogs to try to get ideas about topics to write about and stumbled across yours about Santa Clara Extension Course Scandal. Although this was the first time I had ever heard of this scandal, I thought I might be of assistance in trying to answer some of the questions you posed.
Why do coaches do this?
College coaches care about winning. It’s as simple as that. Now I know you’re probably thinking
Source: Giphy
but it’s very eye-opening when you really think about it.
For coaches, the sport they are involved with is more than just a game; it is their CAREER. Their salary and ability to provide for their family are dependent upon their success on the field/court/pool or wherever they play. And this “success” is determined by their win-loss record.
Now although they do play a huge role in the way they coach the team, the result of the game is ultimately dependent on the performances of their players. Pretty much, their jobs and livelihood are controlled of a bunch of 18-22 year olds.
Source: Giphy
It’s a little scary right?
Per NCAA regulations, there are certain academic requirements that must be met for an athletes to be eligible. I have included the table that is inside the current student-athlete handbook and planner.
Source: Natalie Kennedy
Source: Natalie Kennedy
Now, pretend you are a coach. Let’s say one of your best players is currently ineligible because of their GPA and you have a big game coming up. Since your job depends on winning, and this player plays a significant role in your ability to do so, you are obviously invested in their academic status.
The degree to which your investment inspires you to intervene is completely up to you; you could personally meet with the athlete, make them complete a certain number of study hall hours each week or, as the coaches in the scandal did, do something illegal to ensure that your star player is ready to go come game day.
Now, I am most definitely NOT saying that this type of intervention is justified, I am merely saying that it makes sense.
Why do athletes have problems in class?
This could be happening for many reasons, but 3 popped into my head right away.
- Absences – When it’s season, athletes miss a decent amount of class because of traveling for games. As we all know, college is hard. And it’s even harder when you miss lecture and have you teach yourself the material.
- Time Management – For women’s soccer, and I’m sure it’s about the same for other sports, it’s typical to have 20 hours of training a week. Handling a full course load and a full training schedule is difficult to say the least, and some are unable to balance their time and energy between both.
- Environment – Sometimes, the best athletes are not the best students. So even though their athletic abilities meet the high standards of the institution, they might struggle to keep up with the equally as high academic standards.
I hope my input helps you somehow in your research process!
From,
Natalie