The death of the NCAA will be a long and drawn-out process. Until that day comes, college sports will still be dedicated to the flawed idea of the “student athlete.”
In response to UNC’s recent problems with upholding this idea the Rawlings panel, commissioned by the University, released a report on Tuesday. The report offered suggestions on how to operate athletics at UNC.
One of these suggestions, to implement a “year of readiness” for students admitted under “special admissions,” would help to solidify the equal prioritization of athletics and academics and should be implemented in coming years.
This strategy builds upon an already existing fundamental of collegiate sports — the redshirt. When given a redshirt, a recruited player is removed for competition for up to two years, often in order to develop their athletic skills.
If the “student athlete” is to maintain a balance between athletics and academics, it follows that they should also be able to redshirt for a year in order to develop academically.
As the trailblazer of this policy, it is impossible to deny that it could have drastic effects on the University’s recruiting abilities. High school athletes who only view collegiate sports as a stepping stone to the professional leagues will essentially be unattainable.
However, this should not dissuade the University from implementing this policy. One of our most recent stars, Tyler Zeller, was regularly named an Academic All-American. This shows that athletic prowess and academic ability are not mutually exclusive.
The University has the ability to the become a stalwart of the “student athlete.” If it hopes to spread these ideals it should implement this policy.
