Pete Moye’
Sports Button

Is it for the love of the game? Or is it mainly to keep busy?

In reality, playing college sports for students is basically the only way to get to the next level of education that is desperately needed in these times.

One of the biggest reasons why that statement is true is because of athletic priority enrollment that many junior colleges and universities give to athletes, including Cerritos College.

Cerritos athletes also have a separate councilor from other students, which makes it much easier to plan educational goals and get information.

With things such as scholarships and financial aid, college student athletes are able to pay for classes, freeing them of financial hardship.

Some students struggle to find classes they need in order to transfer and, often times, students will take that open elective class that’s on a Friday afternoon because there is nothing else.

So when a school offers priority enrollment in return for an athlete’s use in athletics, many students have no other choice but to join the team.

While some students wish nothing more but to play on the team, others are obliged to play for priority enrollment and it often shows on the fields, courts and pools.

Sometimes, the truly loyal may not hold the same level of athleticism as other student athletes and they are usually the ones who get replaced for the more athletic student.

In most college sports, the term redshirt is used for athletes who practice with the team, travel with the team, but don’t actually play.

Even redshirt athletes get the same benefits as regular athletes.

Often times, athletes do not even pass the classes and basically prevent others from getting into a class that they had waited to get in for semesters.

Does early enrollment truly help the athlete?

Possibly the hardest time for any student to stay focused on academics is during college, and with extra activities on the side sports may be more of a burden than a help.

Too many times we have seen an athlete get all the required classes but end up failing or dropping all of them by the end of the semester.

Although there are academic requirements, most athletes find a way to meet them and still not be eligible to transfer after their years of athletic eligibility.