College Athletes and Earning a College Degree

I enjoy watching and following college sports and consider it a privilege when I can speak to college athletes on overcoming challenges.

One disturbing trend I sense in college sports and the college community is the de-emphasis of earning a college degree.  How that all enfolds remains a complicated issue.

I am writing this to take no sides. Many say athletes should not have to attend college before chasing professional dreams. Others say college athletes should be paid because the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and member institutions are making billions of dollars off these athletes.

But lost in these arguments is the true pursuit and value of a college education and obtaining a degree while playing a sport in a non-professional manner.

These are 18-22 year old young people. College is a time of development, learning new things, being exposed to new ideas. Simply, it’s life development before going on to a full-time career. Advancing and obtaining a college degree becomes important steps in that journey.

The old saying, “You can work the rest of your life,” rings for the college student and the college student-athlete.

College administrators and coaches should be addressing the importance of the college experience and earning a degree. In recruiting, coaches need to assure student athletes and their parents that they will do all they can to help the student earn a college degree. Administrators and coaches should remember that student-athletes are students first and give them breaks from the demands of playing their particular sport so they can experience student life.

Ultimately, it’s the student athletes’ responsibility to work toward a degree and earn it. And whether they chose a professional sports path or not, the discipline of the college experience will become invaluable.

Inspiration for Your Students

Want to bring inspiration to your students on the high school or college level? Would count it a privilege to share my inspirational message, "Keep Your Uniform On," with your students. I invite you to contact me at speakerpaul@comm1net.net.

Speaker Paul wants to help students

New year, new opportunities. Would count it a privilege to bring my "Keep Your Uniform On" speech to your college sports team, college assembly or high school assembly. I come to serve students. How may I assist you? Thank you. hashtaghtag

Connecting with my small town past

I live in a small Iowa town and our high school consolidated with a nearby district in the ‘90s. I graduated high school in 1975 so I was a Bulldog and our schools colors were purple and gold.

When the consolidation happened, the ‘new’ school kept the old schools’ colors (red and white) and adopted the Bulldogs’ school song—“On Wisconsin.”

But the spirit of the Bulldogs lives on, and it’s coming from an unlikely place and source. I drove by the ballpark the other day and the equipment shed is trimmed in purple and gold paint and has a huge Bulldog on it with the words “Kanawha Bulldogs.”  This movement is coming from young adults who never graduated from the old school. There are also purple and gold t-shirts sold in town.

I find this a heart-warming occurrence. Obviously many of these young adults have parents who were Kanawha Bulldogs and they want to keep that history alive.

People say generation gaps are a problem. But there is no problem here. This gesture draws people together-–a great thing.

Learning from the Past

I am a sentimental person. People in my past and the places I have been, still pull at my heart when revisited.

Last week, I traveled to my alma mater, Northwestern College, in Orange City, Iowa. Don’t get back there much. The last time was in 2013 when I delivered my “Keep Your Uniform On” speech at homecoming.

Every time I return there, pictures from 1975-79 (college years) enter my mind. I see my brown ’72 Monte Carlo getting 11 miles per gallon and thinking my transmission will blow when I go over the softest bump. I see that car smashed after a drunk driver crashed it while sitting innocently in the dorm parking lot. I think of people I knew at college and friendships established—a few lasting.

But I don’t live in that sphere. It’s a part of me and I am thankful for the experience, but it’s in the past. Oftentimes, we wish to hang on to the past (the good and difficult times) because it’s comfortable and known.

We should be thankful for the experience and people in our past and use that memory to better our world in our present circumstances.

Don't Believe It

I enjoy speaking to students on overcoming their challenges and if I could offer one piece of advice as high school and college students return to their studies it would be this:

Don’t believe people that tell you, you can be anything you want to be in your career. Rather ponder this: “You can ‘try’ to become anything in your career.

I am all for goals, hard work etc. but sometimes a particular opportunity never happens. It doesn’t mean that a plan B, C or D, will not bring career fulfillment. For example, my father wanted to become a farmer and he ended up managing a gasoline service station for almost 40 years.

So students give it your best shot with your first career goal and if it doesn’t work out, try something else. Don’t get stuck in the disappointment when something else may become a road to a fulfilling career.

Wound Enjoy Speaking at Your Event

Would count it a privilege to share my inspirational and motivational message, "Keep Your Uniform On," with sports teams, schools and/or organizations. My talk is hopeful, encouraging and engaging. I interact with audience members before, during and after my speech. How may I assist you?