LINE
OVERSCHEDULED andOVERCOMMITTED
The lives of student athletes.
By Nol Harmon
VE JUST HUNG UP the phone from another conference call with the new American College Personnel Association (ACPA) Task Force for Campus
Recreation and Athletics. I am excited about the
potential of this task force and inspired by the
prospective contributions the group hopes to
make to the ACPA membership. Like any new
committee, we have spent much time and thought
in defining our mission and goals for the future, both
short-term and long-term.
The idea for this task force was first formulated
by a group of interested individuals at the 2008 ACPA
conference in Atlanta, and our first official meeting was
held during the ACPA conference in the Washington,
D.C., metropolitan area. I have found the process
invigorating but also perplexing, in a way. I have wondered why campus recreation and athletics have not
been topics worthy of serious consideration until now.
Not only have college students been competing in formal athletics since the early 1800s, but college sports
have been woven into the very fabric of most college
campuses, affecting not only student athletes but the
college and university community as well.
I have worked in higher education for almost ten
years, and admittedly, only since returning to graduate school in 2005, where I worked in athletic student
services for four years, have I seen how complex stu-
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actually be a stereotype. We
this time to examine our
need to commit to being
perception of student athallies of student athletes by
letes and athletics. Perhaps
If we are going to support
being accurately informed
this new committee can be
and critical in the informaan impetus for us to reflect
our student athletes, we
tion we consume. And we
on what we know and
must know more about
need to tell them we supwhat we want to know
port them and then act in
about the student athlete
their experiences, and
ways that demonstrate our
experience. I am calling
knowledge of their experifor us to examine how in
that means having an
ence and genuine interest in
our own individual roles
understanding of their
helping them succeed.
as educators we can reach
We need to learn
out to support our student
roles and responsibilities as
more about the student
athletes and explore ways
athletes experience.
to collaborate across camscholarship athletes.
According to data gathpus constituencies in order
ered by Janet Lawrence,
to best meet their needs
Lori Hendricks, and Molly
and foster their individual
Ott for the NCAAs Knight Commission Reports on
growth and learning during their unique collegiate
Faculty Perceptions of Intercollegiate Athletics, faculty
experience.
report knowing very little about their institutions athletic program. We need to gather accurate information
Notes
about our institutions athletic programs, including the
Birrell, S. (1989). Racial relations theories and sport:
policies and regulations to which our student athletes
Suggestions for a more critical analysis. Sociology of Sport
must adhere, and offer our assistance and support with
Journal, 6, 212227.
programs that may be in place, such as the CHAMPS
Engstrom, C., & Sedlacek, W. (1991). A study of the
prejudice toward university student-athletes. Journal of
life skills and diversity programming sponsored by the
Counseling and Development, 70, 189193.
NCAA. If we are going to support our student athEtzel, E. F., Ferrante, A. P., and Pinkney, J. W. (2002).
letes, we must know more about their experiences, and
Counseling college student athletes: Issues and interventhat means having an understanding of their roles and
tions. 2nd Ed. Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information
responsibilities as scholarship athletes.
Technology, Inc.
Ferrante, A. P., Etzel, E. F., & Lantz, C. (2002). Counseling
Many institutions, especially those with Division I
college student-athletes: The problem, the need. In E. F.
programs, have student service offices for athletes and
Etzel, A. P. Ferrante, & J. W. Pinkney (Eds.), Counseling
academic coordinators who work to support student
college student athletes: Issues and interventions (pp. 326).
athletes. However, these offices are often isolated from
Morgantown, WV: Fitness Information Technology, Inc.
the rest of campus and from other student affairs proLally, P., & Kerr, G. (2005). The career planning, athletic
identity, and student role identity of intercollegiate stufessionals on campus. On many college campuses, there
dent athletes. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 76,
appears to be a gap between professionals who are
275285.
working essentially for the same purpose and goal
Lawrence, J. H, Hendricks, L. A., Ott, M. C. (2007). Faculty
the welfare of the student. Collaboration would mean
perceptions of intercollegiate athletics: A National Study of
shared expertise and support, which would benefit stuFaculty at NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision
Institutions. University of Michigan. Center for the Study
dents by creating intentional programming grounded
of Higher and Postsecondary Education.
in informed research and practice.
Parham, W. D. (2002). Diversity within intercollegiate
athletics. In E. F. Etzel, A. P. Ferrante, & J. W.
Pinkney (Eds.), Counseling college student athletes: Issues
and interventions (pp. 2749). Morgantown, WV: Fitness
Information Technology, Inc.
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