Should College Athletes be Paid?

by rcapuana | February 21, 2013 9:33 am

By ROSS CAPUANA

Student athletes are putting in hard work, day in and day out to play collegiate sports raising the question: Should they be getting compensated in some way?

Cars, sporting event tickets, money to help pay rent, or even money for meals are just a few of the many things that are “illegally” given away to college students. The gifts are illegal according to NCAA rules because they feel it gives an unfair advantage. When you look at a school like Duke University compared to Ramapo College, sure either school can dish out money without a problem but with Duke University’s popularity they are sure to have more “boosters” to dish out money to oncoming student athletes.

Once caught, these student athletes are usually suspended or given other severe punishments.

[1]

For example Reggie Bush[2], former USC [3]running back and Heisman Trophy winner had much to weigh in on when NCAAF took his Heisman Trophy away after finding Bush guilty of receiving these illegal favors.

An article written by Doug Lederman in 2011 talks about the major sanctions and violations enforced  by the NCAA for “53 of the 120 universities in the NCAA’s top competitive level, the Bowl Subdivision, were found by the Division I Committee on Infractions to have committed major rules violations from 2001 to 2010.”Brad Hoey, 18, track athlete and freshman at Ramapo College[4] thinks that student athletes should be paid but nothing major.

“I’m not a track star nor am I a famous athlete so it is hard for me to talk about receiving these benefits that people like Reggie Bush have received and were caught with,” Hoey said. “But for me personally I put almost all my free time into this sport and I may not be going pro but I love doing this. I’ll be doing this sport for as long as I can and as hard as I can but imagine if I was thrown a few bucks for a run? I think it would just be awesome.”

Also from Ramapo College, Dan Deverin, 20, and a major college sports fan of both basketball and football believes student athletes should not be paid.

“Unfortunately I did not receive a scholarship for athletics but I did receive a small scholarship for grades. People can’t forget that student athletes have the opportunity to receive scholarships as well,” Deverin said. “If a student athlete is already receiving a sports scholarship, I just don’t understand where people find a split here saying that they should receive these benefits. As a hard working student, I’m not asking to be paid to go to class, nor am I complaining because the scholarship I do have is already helping me.”

 

Sources

http://www.sbnation.com/2010/6/10/1511640/usc-football-sanctions-reggie-bush-speaks-out-NCAA[5]

http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/sports/college/2011-02-07-ncaa-infractions_N.htm[6]

Source URL: https://class1.ramaporecord.org/?p=11838

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