Should college athletes be paid?

Without professionalizing college sports, there will always remain inequality between playing university sports vs. studying – so why isn’t it fair that those who work immensely hard should get something back financially?

The NCAA believes college athletes should not be paid because they are student-athletes. This keeps the NCAA going, and this idea has been around for decades and has remained the same. Even though the average cost of school tuition continues to rise rapidly, many students struggle to pay off their debt or receive scholarships and aid packages as a form of payment.

It is unfair to college athletes who pour hundreds of hours each week into their sport yet are deprived of financial compensation while earning recognition and glory only for their University.

It is high time we recognize the efforts put in by these hard-working students, pay them adequately, and treat them like employees instead of amateurs. With billions generated by universities through these athletes, surely enough money can be set aside to ensure these athletes have an equal opportunity with other students on campus regarding education costs? It would help create a much more balanced environment for everyone;

Most college athletes do not get an extravagant lifestyle. They make very little money and can’t even live a life of luxury most people think athletes have. College athletics is a full-time dedication that doesn’t always pay off with a large salary.

The pressure to perform is immense because they are there solely based on their talent. They must practice and compete at a high level, all while attending class, writing papers, and taking tests; it’s no easy task for anyone, especially when today’s college athlete faces tougher standards than ever before, both academically and athletically.

It is hard to think about being able to manage academic demands with continuous training for peak performance and emotional investments, along with financial stressors like tuition fees, nutrition, and travel costs. Still, these dedicated student-athletes do so every day, missing out on many aspects of traditional college life to pursue their dreams of playing at the next level or just simply representing the school proudly, knowing the impact that makes on alumni donors, which will eventually help them pave the way towards better opportunities after graduating itself!

The life of a college athlete can be arduous, and they don’t often get any recognition for their hard work and effort on the academic side. They constantly travel from tournament to tournament with little sleep or rest between games. This takes a toll on them physically, mentally, and emotionally.

This is followed by their practice times, ranging from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. afterward. They are expected to do both the academic and mental homework for their sport and school classes and have dinner with the team or eat on their own, depending upon travel necessities that day or treatments/rehabilitation that needs to be done before bedtime (165 Petrie).

In other words, college athletes dedicate long hours to staying in shape and being successful at what they love doing without gaining any further recognition or money from it.

The amount of time put into the sport is relentless. With practice so often and for such a long period, athletes can get easily burned out if they do not create small amounts of free time in their schedules to rest and recuperate from the grind.

A lack of sleep has been linked with decreased performance levels on and off the field due to fatigue, making it even more important for athletes to manage their hectic schedules better. Despite its rigors, being an athlete helps individuals stay dedicated and motivated throughout high school, which will help them continue pursuing excellence once college comes around!

Yet, this brings up that these athletes are sacrificing their bodies to gain success or recognition. Athletes put so much on the line when they step onto that field and toss themselves into physical competitions, making it clear why they should be paid for what they do.

As with anything else we pay money for, if we want something done right, it shouldn’t come without some form of compensation; accordingly, athletes deserve to receive fair wages because of how hard they work.

Johnson says regarding managing time and still doing well in class, “I believe as student-athletes, we all have our ways of setting aside time.” While Schmitt states, “I try to avoid procrastinating; if there is something I can do right away, then definitely do it.

Gonzalez adds that he’ll “take off the times that mean nothing like a 20-minute break or just some small talk with friends and write it down on my planner, so everything gets done at the same time every day”. These interviews show that Division I athletes use their free time effectively while balancing school and sports.

He also mentioned,” Of course, it was sometimes difficult to balance the two things. Still, we had a fantastic support system in our coaches and academic advisor, who ensured you got all the resources needed to succeed.

It is incredible how athletic programs emphasize athletes’ continuance of education while being able to participate in big tournaments like March Madness. Gonzalez’s story shows us how much of an athletic role staff have in supporting their student-athletes athletically and academically.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is the governing body of college athletes’ financial aid and does not allow college athletes to be paid for their performances.

With that being said, there are other ways in which they could be compensated without breaking any NCAA rules, such as reducing tuition costs, increasing scholarship programs, or offering additional benefits like meal plans or guaranteed housing.

Other ideas include having no-interest student loans offered by individual universities so that the money goes toward the student rather than back into University’s pockets.