You can't just turn up and play. Not unless you're content to play whoever shows up at the hoops on the street corner. College, or rather university, is where it's all happening. You can't just turn up and play there either.
They call them student athletes in the USA, with the emphasis on 'student'. You have to study and you have to study hard or you can't play. It's a kind of symbiotic relationship between professors and coaches. Good coaches make for good sport that people want to watch. Thousands turn up to pay and watch every week at every college. Sport brings in vast sums of money to the college. Money is spent on facilities, staff and research to provide a good learning experience and prestige for the college.
The student athletes have to maintain their accademic performance to be allowed to play. Professors want the students to succeed to keep the money coming in so they devote extra time to ensure they do so. Coaches want to ensure they keep the players on the court so they ensure they attend their classes. Voila. Everyone's a winner!
No comments:
Post a Comment