Our men’s volleyball team just won its 18th national
championship in 22 appearances last weekend, while other schools
strive every day in practice for the opportunity to appear in even
one. That’s just a single example of the athletic excellence
that is a tremendous part of the UCLA community. This year alone we
have already won five national championships. Few universities can
claim this kind of athletic prestige.
That’s why it drives me nuts when people despise athletes
for the “unfair” perks (priority enrollment and
housing, tutoring, attention) they receive just for playing a sport
at our school.
Do these anti-athlete people have any idea what it takes to
perform at the Division I level or think that national
championships materialize out of thin air? Almost every team on
campus practices for about three hours each day, including intense
weight training.
I always want to ask anti-athlete people what they think it
feels like to go to class and be physically exhausted. Most of us
know the pulsing headache that hits in the middle of an 8 a.m.
section when you pulled an all-nighter for a midterm. Try having
that feeling after dealing with daily intensive exercise, and I
don’t mean an hour of Tae Bo at the Wooden Center.
The last thing on any person’s mind after a grinding
workout is walking all the way to Dickson to sit through an
analysis of the American political system. It takes added will
power to go to class and focus. And while many people would just
retort that those are the reasons we never see any athletes in
class, I would say that kind of comment is just a generalization.
Lots of people who aren’t athletes don’t come to class
either. It’s completely unfair to say that all athletes ditch
class and don’t care about their educations, because that is
simply a problem for everyone at UCLA, not just the athlete
population.
Which brings us to the next anti-athlete misconception: that all
the athletes here are brain-dead Neanderthals walking around with
drool hanging from their mouths, breathing our air and taking up
space in already overcrowded classrooms. Athletes have extra
pressure on them to be successful academically; while we all have a
sort of “moral” reason to go after good grades, there
is no one telling us we can’t participate in activities or
pursue non-school related goals because we aren’t performing
at a high academic standard.
If the grades aren’t there, athletes are ineligible to
compete.
I’m sure that not every athlete puts academics first
during the quarter that their sport is in season, but the truth of
the matter is that most of them probably care about their
performance in school. What about the walk-ons who could probably
be a star at a Division Two school, but wanted a challenging
academic arena and came to UCLA to give it a shot?
Lots of really talented athletes were also equally well-rounded
in high school, playing multiple sports and being involved in
extracurricular activities while keeping up their grades. And when
their sport is in season, I can understand why athletes might be
distracted. I wish the anti-athlete people had to take their finals
in a hotel during the Sweet 16, miss midterms and do assignments
when they get home jet-lagged and exhausted.
Athletes definitely do not have time for a job. Practice is a
job. It is their job to win games and bring home titles, which they
do quite remarkably here in Westwood. Athletes are visible members
of the UCLA community. Most athletes maintain an unbelievable work
ethic, know how to relate with others and are goal-oriented people.
Most of the students who compete in athletics here at UCLA are
going to become positive contributors to the communities around
them.
That’s why I don’t mind letting them enroll in class
a little earlier, have their housing secured, receive scholarship
money or have tutoring available. Because they provide this
institution a service.
Our competitive sports teams provide entertainment to alumni,
students and people across the country. If it wasn’t
something great, people wouldn’t pitch tents outside of
Pauley Pavilion the night before the Central Ticket Office puts the
student sport packages up for sale. We can all rally behind our
teams whether we’re from North or South Campus or across
racial and gender guidelines, because we all want to beat
“˜SC.
I think a lot of students underestimate the value of athletics
and its role on this campus. Like it or not, competitive sports are
an immeasurable part of this school’s widespread appeal and
success. One of the reasons UCLA was the most applied to school in
the nation this year was because many athletic-minded people wanted
a place they could get fired up about ““ a place with lots of
winners. People who know how to uphold high expectations like
winning 18 national championships, have a value all their own.
I’m not belittling students who are involved in campus
groups or in public service to their communities. For most people
to be successful at anything, it takes a certain degree of sweat
and commitment, be it physical or emotional (or both). There are so
few individuals who will actually make it to the Division I college
level, and that shows commitment and character. And whether they do
or don’t make it, sports will teach them to strive for
something.
Many of you might agree with me for the most part, yet think
that football and men’s basketball players break the mold of
what I’m arguing. Certainly they are considered the ones with
low grade point averages and SAT scores and easy majors.
But did anyone turn on the TV during March Madness? Or back in
’98 when the football team was so talented? They had UCLA
Rose Bowl Champion T-shirts all printed and ready to go at Ackerman
before the game was even played. There are corporations, sponsors,
media, alumni and other students all watching and analyzing
everything these athletes do.
I think that there are two main reasons why people espouse
negative attitudes towards athletes. Maybe they never played a
sport and don’t understand the value of athletics in a
person’s life. Or, perhaps, they are jealous that they cannot
compete at a high level sport.
We can all go up to Covel Commons and get tutoring help if
it’s that important to us. The university rewards students
who have pursued an honors academic regimen with priority
enrollment.
The fact of the matter is that athletes are providing a service
to our school that non-athletes don’t. Athletes represent an
aspect of this campus that is important, incredibly visible in the
public sector and brings a certain degree of respect and tradition
to UCLA.
In today’s world, sports are important. They require
mental skill, physical fitness and hours of practice. If you want
to be the best it takes more than what other people are willing to
give. Sports teaches you to strive to be a superior version of what
you are. And after all, isn’t that what we’re all here
for anyway?