Interesting article on academic vs. athletic recruiting

BaghDAD
Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:37:05 +0000

Fallgirl wrote:

“What has been very disappointing for me is the way the local school district gives so much more attention to the athletic accomplishments than they do for academics. Most of the top students here get little to no recognition while the athletes are glorified. I have spoken with the administration on several occasions about this, but it’s a losing battle.”

Poetic justice this article came from the Midwest. Lived all over the US and by far the Midwest is the worst for this athletes first mentality. I truly believe that if 100 people in the Midwest ‘burgh I live in were asked how do you get a scholarship, 85+ would say “Athletics.” DS (a two sport varsity athlete, mind you) received an academic scholarship from a top 50 U, plus full-ride ROTC scholys from USAF and Navy, but that didn’t mean much until the end of the school year. The moron school superintendent always pushed his athletes, but when your sports program is predicated on who somebody’s parents are…well, the chosen “star” athletes pretty much bombed out in the D1 recruiting sweepstakes. Then it was ask everybody how much $$$ their children received (in most cases, without much help at all from the HS) in academic scholy’s and put on a presentation at the end of the year. The great irony was the academic awards were scheduled at the same time as my DS’ and the school’s val had a spring sport playoff match. They couldn’t get the match re-scheduled?!? Val ended going to match, DS was persuaded to go to academic awards where he was at least recognized for his academic achievements, not just athletic as years prior.

P.S. Team lost the match and Val missed out. Sports awards every quarter, but one match couldn’t be re-scheduled for academic awards? Priorities, especially in Midwest, are really out of whack