Student Athlete Argumentative Analysis

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A reporter asked Richard Sherman, a former Stanford football player who is currently playing in the national league, his opinion if student-athletes are given the time to take advantage of their education. Sherman explained, “They pay for your room and board, they pay for your education, but to their knowledge you are there to play football. And it sounds crazy to hear that form a student athlete, but that’s the things coaches tell them every day” (Sports Illustrated , 2015) His comment explains the challenges student athletes have to get their promised college education. Some people feel that having their education paid for is more than enough compensation for student athletes, but more argue that they are not getting an education and should …show more content…

However, as this essay explains that so many challenges student athletes have to go through just to get an education they are promised in their contracts. One example, is the UNC paper classes where student athletes take these paper classes for 18 years and “advisers funneled athletes into the program to make them eligible” (Ganim & Sayers, 2014). These paper classes are made to keep star players on the field or court, which is just an easier way then actually educating the students. Also with the limited time student athletes have to study it is hardly possible for them to gain an education. Penn Schoen Berland presented a study that showed more than half of student athletes agree that they do not have the time to study tests (Penn Schoen Berland, 2015). Basketball players in the annual March Madness tournament are out of the class room for about a month. As well having the institutions and NCAA arguing that they are not legally obligated to make sure they have gained the education promised. Everyone the student athletes surround themselves with are people who push for the best performance on the court or field and not in the class room. With no one taking responsibility for the student athletes educational opportunities it is almost impossible for them to get an education their promised. The more money that comes into college sports the more pressure it becomes on athletic performance then getting an education and that is when amateurism becomes pro. If the colleges are making billions of the athlete’s talents and not compensating them with a true education, then paying the players might be the most fair for the student

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