Many colleges pay student-athletes with enticing deals of scholarships that give almost-free education.
However, that is not enough. It can be a series of traps that may hinder more than help, as colleges seem to turn a blind eye to the situation they put their students in by asking them to be on their team.
By accepting these scholarships, student-athletes have agreed to a long list of terms and conditions created by the National Collegiate Athletic Association that they must comply by, but that sets them apart from other students on campus.
Hours of work and dedication go into their sport, leaving little time for classes.
Some colleges solved this problem by having student-athletes enroll in classes that were easier or simply didn’t exist.
This not only robs the student-athletes of their education, but also defies the same agreement set forth by the NCAA in multiple ways.
It ignores the fact that students must “have been admitted as a regularly enrolled, degree-seeking student according to the published entrance requirements of your school.”
By taking special classes, they are treated differently.
Grades, however, are the least of their worries, as they must also face the harsh realities of having to pay for injuries they sustain while playing.
While the NCAA makes insurance mandatory for players, it does not provide any compensation for injuries. Instead, the college decides on what it will pay for insurance claims on students. This means that either the school covers the cost completely or the player must pay out-of-pocket.
While professional athletes use their salaries to pay for injuries, college-level players do not have that luxury, as they may not accept gifts, sponsorships or any type of monetary value for their work.
This leaves players who do not go pro virtually broke with a useless degree.
Meanwhile, their coaches have salaries that lay in the millions before they are approached for deals from sporting companies or athletic clothing lines.
One man should not be paid millions for the work of a team consisting of hard-working players, who are young adults committing their college years to a sport they hope will help them continue in life.
By refusing to pay student athletes for their time and work, the NCAA has created a system where even though it can pay student-athletes, it refuses to do so, simply for a love of the game it has created.
