The world is filled with numerous amount of student-athletes that could somewhere down the road have a bright future. Being a student-athlete comes with a lot of adult-like responsibilities, high school years are when they are coming closer to being on their own. Playing the sport that you love or want to attend in your high school days is a privilege, not a right. By me saying that I am stating that grades come first before any event that you are trying to do at your high school. If a student can’t get it together and get it done in the classroom, they will not be eligible for that sport.
I honestly believe that what is known to me as the grades before play policy helps high school students out in the classroom tremendously. The fact that students know if their grades aren’t where they need to helps push students to work harder and keep their heads in the books, in my opinion. A lot of schools are starting to get very strict on suspending athletes for a certain amount of time or events for not having their grades where they need to be at their grade checkpoint. If the athlete really has a love for the sport they are attending they wouldn’t want to be in the position of getting suspended from the sport they like and get it done in the classroom.
It shouldn’t matter how good the athlete is, they shouldn’t be cut any slack for their fault on their school work. The future for these students is far more important than a couple of touchdowns, a couple of baskets or even a couple of spikes and swings. It won’t matter what they did in that event in high school if their grade point average isn’t where it needs to be. No college will accept any student if their GPA isn’t where it needs to be at the end of their senior year. If a student is getting suspended for events in his high school years, what will convince a coach that the same thing won’t happen in college? Colleges don’t want to waste all their time on someone who will let them down in the near future.
An athlete should want to be known as an “all-around” student-athlete, not just an athlete. An all-around athlete is someone who can get it done for his coach in their sport, plus get it done in the classroom for both their teacher and coach. If they screw up on grades, they are not only letting their coaching staff down but also letting down their fellow teammates. Nothing would hurt fans, teammates and coaches more than a star player not being able to participate in an event because of their academics in school. Who knows? Maybe the whole community will be let down not seeing u participate in an athletic sporting event.
If students are struggling to get their work done or need more time to do it, I am almost 100 per cent positive their coach will work with them. Thirty minutes from practice after school will not hurt much to get help on school work. Thirty minutes from practice is way better than missing a couple of games or losing playing time. Students should seriously think about how important grades are in high school and how important they have to do with their future. High school athletics should not be a problem if students can get their school work done. If they can’t just suspend them for a certain time period and help them realize they need grades to play sports and succeed in life.