Althetic scholarships require good grades

“Making the Grade,” The Recorder’s look at what it takes to earn an athletic scholarship to college, clearly pointed out that it takes years of dedication and hard work to earn such a scholarship.

For many students, athletics is a path to success. If it were not for sports, some students might never be able to attend college, even a junior college.

But, being a good athlete alone is not enough this days. There are so many good athletes today, the competition for those scholarships is keen. That is why good grades are so important, even for the standout athletes.

Being good on the playing surface but lousy in the classroom is not enough. Colleges are looking not only for good athletes, but good students. The NCAA, the governing body of collegiate athletics, is increasingly stressing academics and schools are judged as much by how well they are doing graduating students as the wins they rack up.

As the article pointed out, student-athletes and their parents need to do their homework early on, ensuring that they are taking care of the academic side of things just as much as the athletic side. Parents and students are advised to pay attention to academics as early as their first year of high school.

What is clear, is that it is not the schools’ responsibility to help students land scholarships. Coaches have enough on their plate, but we are certain some are more proactive in helping athletes than others, but in the end, it is the parents who need to do their homework, work with their child and ensure they are keeping up with their school work and are earning grades good enough to get them into a four-year university and earn that coveted athletic scholarship.

We know that Porterville produces outstanding athletes and many have gone on to star at a college or university. Some of those are in the professional ranks today, but they got there with their brains as much as with their muscles.