Higher Education and student athletes

Do we really have time?

Should athletes be given more free time during the school year and an extended off-season?

Some experts argue that they should and this in itself will improve the overall well being of the student athlete. An article done by Inside Higher Ed says that athletes complain that they do not have enough time due to sports and practice. The article mainly focuses on the off-season that athletes get when there sports isn't active and they do not have games, but many say that they work just as much in the off-season as they do in the regular season if not more. For collegiate coaches the off-season is a time to push your athletes to prepare for the upcoming season, but since there are not any games that have to be played some coaches take advantage and overwork their athletes. Although athletes are not required to come to certain things coaches find ways to punish athletes that don't show up so in a way they make them mandatory. 

Division I Men

Sport Athletic hours

• Baseball 42.1
• Basketball 39.2
• Football (FBS) 43.3
• Football (FCS) 41.6
• Other sports 32.0

Division II Men

• Baseball 39.0
• Basketball 37.7
• Football 37.5
• Other sports 31.3

Division III Men

• Baseball 34.8
• Basketball 30.8
• Football 33.1
• Other sports 29.2

Division I Women

Sport Athletic hours

• Basketball 37.6
• Other sports 33.3
• Students athletes are required to fulfill a minimum amount of time doing activities for their sports and usually these leaves little time for being a student, or having a life outside of sports. Division 1 sports spend the majority of their time on the field and not in classroom which is why some experts say that the student aspect of "student-athlete" is diminishing entirely. As a student athlete I can attest that balancing school and sports is not an easy task. Although they try to create ways to help you it is still a very daunting task even for those who have good time management skills. 

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• Source 1:
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/do-college-athletes-have-time-to-be-students/
Source 2
http://money.cnn.com/2014/03/31/news/companies/college-athletes-jobs/
source 3
http://www.businessinsider.com/college-student-athletes-spend-40-hours-a-week-practicing-2015-1