"As Athletic Directors add more non-conference games, participating students often find themselves unable to adequately fulfill academic course requirements. It is not uncommon for coaches to counsel key athletes to drop elective classes, even if those classes may significantly affect the college application process."
Show me the data backing up the above statement. I have been teaching for now 23 years and I have yet to do this or find an athlete that a coach has recommended do this.
I also do not know of any "elective courses" that are key to the college application process. Most are the required courses as set out by the state school boards, specific school boards, boards of regents of different states and college academic lists for NCAA eligibility. If anything coaches encourage their athletes to take challenging academic courses so the college academic load will be something the student/athletes can be successful at when they enter college.
"Many school teams must travel great distances for their competitions, resulting in students getting home at very late hours, yet they are still required to complete homework or other academically-related assignments. The notion that students can complete such work while on a long bus ride is hollow: few students have the self-discipline to devote quality time to studies amidst lively team members."
Great distance?, no most don't travel far enough to compete in quality events. They stay near their home schools or within their league to play or compete with the same athletes they have competed against for years.
Students do get home late from events, too late, this won't change in college either. Almost every school day has time for students to apply themselves and study during the school day, an example would be seminar or homeroom time.
The high school my son will attend has a required study hall after school for an hour if he wants to be part of their athletic program.
"Relentless practices that usually begin with the final school bell prohibit students from seeking after school academic help or clarification. Even if coaches acquiesce, the athletes are typically “benched” or forced to run punishment laps. Sports are a serious high school business that frequently includes weekend practices or invitational competitions."
I have witnessed just the opposite-coaches holding students out of practice until they finished commitments for their classes.
I have witnessed students not starting as someone else was doing their job in the practice and knew the information necessary to start in that position for the next game.
Punishment laps? No that is conditioning, athletes have to be in shape so they don't get hurt, if they miss practice and have no one to drill with or practice they usually have to run on their own.
The descriptive terms this article uses: relentless practices, great distances, expanded practices. I do appreciate it when someone who is not nor has not been involved in athletics attempts to learn something about how athletes do things. Perhaps the author should do more than drive by the school or athletic field before composing their opinion paper.
