Basketball in Colleges: Its Social, Academic, and Athletic Impacts
Basketball is one of the most popular sports in America, and it has long been an integral part of college culture. College basketball has evolved into a cultural phenomenon that profoundly affects not only the athletes who play it but also the students who attend these games. This research paper explores the social, academic, and athletic impacts of basketball in colleges, with insights drawn from various scholarly sources.
Social Impact
One of the most significant impacts of college basketball is its social impact. College basketball games are not just athletic events but also social gatherings for students, alumni, and the wider community. Attending these games fosters
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The basketball teams are emblematic of the colleges, and their successes or failures profoundly reflect the college's image. Therefore, when a college basketball team performs well, it not only unites the students but also raises the standing of the college within the community. The pride generated through college basketball can even drive actions that benefit the community, such as philanthropic initiatives and volunteer work.
Academic Impact
The impacts of college basketball on academics cannot be neglected. Basketball athletes have a reputation for struggling academically, but this does not appear to be true at the college level. According to a study conducted in 2011 by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), basketball players graduated at a rate of 75%, which is higher than their male student peers (NCAA, 2011). This achievement is evidence of a significant academic commitment on the part of college basketball players.
Moreover, success in college basketball can also boost the academic profile of colleges. Basketball games often generate significant social media buzz, providing colleges with heightened exposure. This increased profile can attract higher-rated students who want to attend colleges with successful sports programs, which in turn results in improved academic performance for the
College sports are a major part of American culture. College athletes devote hours upon hours a week to their sports training, but unfortunately, sports can take up a lot of time and distract from other important activities. This can harm academics, as athletes have to balance sports and academics, especially at a college. Participating in sports is almost like working a part-time job and having to balance school too which can be difficult to do, and focus may be rendered on one task and not both. Furthermore, athletes will be on scholarships too, which is why college athletes should not be paid.
Woo describes the competition level at some of high school basketball’s most prestigious events, such as the McDonalds All-American Game and the Jordan Classic as slacking. According to the author, the events have transformed from very competitive games into glamorous showcases of skill. This lack of focus on competition has led to a lack of defense and overall emotion in these events. The author also states that the scouts disapprove of this transformation; however, they do not see these events reverting to older
Most high school athletes across America share one common aspiration: play their sport at the next level in college. For a select number of fortunate athletes, that dream becomes a reality when they commit to a school and sign their letter of intent. But are they really fortunate? College athletics are oftentimes not as glamorous as one would think. The transition to college is not a walk in the park, but add a rigorous summer conditioning program, two-a-days everyday, and the pressures of coaches you have yet to impress, and you have a recipe for disaster.
The influence of one person passed on to another is inevitable when it comes to life, but even more unavoidable when it extends to sports. College sports in fact have an impact on a mass majority of people, from spectators to players, these endeavors create hopes and dreams for any individual. Not only that, any heart strung story coming from sports gets plastered on media outlets so a greater population of people can also be influenced by a game, but I want to go further than that. Personally, I believe there is a greater meaning behind sports than for it just to be a pastime. There is a reason that the superior divisions of athletics are harder to reach than decades before because of the higher levels of knowledge that continue to be passed down from great coaches to greater players in a never ending cycle.
Their leadership skills and exceptional academic accomplishments, however, are usually disregarded or undervalued because sometimes they are viewed as assets to the university for their athletic abilities opposed to their academic abilities. The term “student-athlete” implies that college athletes should prioritize their education in addition to athletics. In practice, a lot of athletes are forced to put their sports commitments above their academic commitments, which could potentially defeat the whole point of the term “student-athlete.” This could occur in an environment where students are seen and treated more as athletes than students could stem from athletes being encouraged to prioritize their sport above academics. An outcome of putting too much emphasis on athletic performance and development than educational or personal development, this could deprive student athletes of the benefits of attending college and receiving a college education and contradict the original meaning of “student-athlete".
A lot of sports recruits come from the inner city, country or a humble environment. Going to college is a completely new and different experience. A large portion of players are trying to adjust in the classroom and feel inferior in more ways than we care to realize. Many of the students at major universities in the United States typically come from families that have incomes that are above the national average. These players are asked to come to the college’s where they are not socially equal but they are expected to feel good about the situation and themselves.
Not every college athlete makes it professionally, which means that many athletes needs to prepare for a career in something else. Injuries cut athletes careers short, even among thoses who become professional. By providing scholarship to many people who would not otherwise be able to attend college, college athletes do a great service in our country. College athletics are important and worthwhile because they contribute immeasurably to the pleasure that students get from attending college.
Depending on what sport you play some student athletes play multiple sports in college. Students are sometimes able to take some classes for free which means free credits to go on your college resume. Even though the free credits are nice to have and good to take advantage of, it means more homework and time spent in the classroom (Arnett 1). There is already so much stress on college students if they are just there to do their studies, and then throwing sports and practice into their schedules makes it very difficult for students to succeed. Balancing work, school, and sports is so difficult for students to do and succeed in all 3 (Dellenger 1).
They can receive attention for the news, magazines, and social media, which can gain the attention of aspiring students wanting to follow in their players footsteps, and led the colleges
Some people and kids love basketball so much, they devote their lives to the game. Basketball is everything to some people, like me. Also, many kids are trying harder in school to keep their grades up so they can play sports like basketball. Professional athletes talk to schools about kids dropping out of school. They tell them it's not the right thing to do and that they need to stay in school
This notion is supported by Dr. Daniel Gould, who believes that “Children who participate in sports have increased educational aspirations, closer ties to school and increased occupational aspirations in youth” (1). People against the funding of high school sports think that parents and society are placing more emphasis than ever before and, “[P]ressures athletic personnel to deviate on winning from the athlete- centered educational and personal development mission” (Gould 1). However, athletes strive to do better in class. Michael Lorenc, a high school basketball coach believes that “those who seem to have an overwhelming schedule where they’re playing maybe multiple sports, and high academic schedules, they tend to do better than those who don’t do anything extracurricularly” (Gray). Balancing sports and school makes athletes put more effort into keeping up grades while playing the sport they love.
Instead of having a ‘normal’ college social experience, student-athletes are often found in the weight room, on a travel bus, or at practice. College sports can be compared to a full time job (Valentine, 2022). Therefore, proving that athletes should receive compensation from Esgro 3 their respective school for the time and training they put in to making sure their school has a successful team. Additional benefits that the Universities see as a result of a successful sports program
In today’s age, it is very common for collegiate athletes to only attend college for one year before going to the pros. This issue is most prominent in the sports of basketball and football. Since 2006, only 51 college basketball athletes have gone pro after one season at their respective schools. LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, two of basketball’s finest, both skipped college before heading to the NBA. In doing this, players could gain an advantage by beginning their professional careers early.
However, the downside is that student-athletes may find themselves in academically challenging environments without having demonstrated the same academic capabilities as their non-athlete counterparts. Instances abound wherein student-athletes have either graduated with rudimentary reading skills or failed to graduate altogether due to the lack of guidance toward a specific degree path. These situations treat student-athletes unfairly and cast a disheartening shadow on the overall integrity of higher education. To impartial observers, the predicament faced by student-athletes is deeply troubling. Despite the prevailing emphasis on education in American society, numerous institutions of higher learning, ostensibly established with the primary goal of delivering education, have instead prioritized athletics over academics.
Did you know that depending on the sport, students who play sports in college most likely have less than a 2% chance of becoming professional athletes? At middle schools, high schools and colleges across the country, everyone is arguing over whether or not students with failing grades should be allowed to play sports. In my opinion, a good education is so very important for our country’s youth, especially the athletes. Not a lot of kids are good enough to play in the top college sports programs in the country. But even those who are, still have an astonishingly low chance at making the professional leagues.