Last month the NCAA Division 1 Council approved what they called an extension of eligibility for athletes that participate in spring sports due to the Coronavirus pandemic. In other words, it would allow this current group of seniors to return next year and be eligible for the 2020-2021 academic year.
However, the NCAA left it up to its member institutions to make the decision as to what they would do with their own student-athletes. On Thursday the University of Wisconsin decided against allowing those students-athletes to have such eligibility.
They issued a statement explaining why they made the decision.
“UW Athletics places tremendous emphasis on its student-athletes earning an undergraduate degree and having a great competitive experience. In the case of the UW spring student-athletes to which the NCAA’s waiver would apply, a substantial percentage of the student-athletes are scheduled to earn their degrees before next spring. In spite of today’s uncertainties, we will do everything possible to support our student-athletes as they work toward those degrees.
It goes on to say, “The athletic department has made the decision to not pursue waivers that would extend the eligibility of our senior student-athletes. Student-athletes in their fourth year of eligibility have concluded their careers with us. This group of student-athletes has our full support up to, including and beyond graduation. They are Badgers for life and we are greatly appreciative of the way they have represented our department and the university.”
I completely agree with them 1,000 percent!!! Let’s keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes 1st! The No.1 priority of the student-athlete is to use sports to get an education. Most of the athletes, as the statement says, are on schedule to graduate. So why on earth would the university spend even more money for them to come back when they’ve already fulfilled their goal? Do you realize how much money it takes to fund athletic programs that don’t generate revenue? And even if they did generate revenue the kids have graduated already.
We are living in unprecedented times. We’ve never seen anything like this in our lifetimes. Unfortunately, once this thing is over people will have to move on with their lives. That means seniors who are set to graduate must graduate and become fully grown adults.
It sucks that they couldn’t complete their senior seasons in college but it it what it is. I think that all universities should follow Wisconsin’s lead on this.
If you bring seniors back for another senior season what do you do with the incoming freshmen that you’ve already recruited? It’s not their fault that there was a pandemic. At some point, you’ve got to make sense of this thing and allowing seniors to come back makes no sense. It’s time to be grown and get a job. I’m just telling you what I would tell my own child. Play time is over and it was good while it lasted. Now it’s time to pay these bills.
And please don’t tell me about the one cat that may be going to the pros or the Olympics. First of all, if the dun was a professional in the making he or she is going anyway. They were on the radar long before this spring was shut down. There is no Olympics right now and if they were one of the best in the world they were one of the best way before this spring.
Everybody else needs to graduate and get a job. It’s unfortunate but it’s the reality we’re living in. If you’re eligible to graduate this spring and your eligibility has expired then stop looking for a reason to hide from the real world and being mad because someone told you to be grown. I’ll say what I’ve been saying to my children since they were toddlers. “Being grown just looks easy.” Some things you have no control over but folks are still going to want their money. Nobody cares how you feel and it ain’t always fair. Stop me when I start lyin’!