A little background: I'm a two-time letter winner who thoroughly enjoyed my
participation in varsity NCAA sanctioned athletics.  My participation on
the team contributed significantly to my personal growth and maturity.  I
learned how to work together to achieve team goals.  In short, athletics
was an integral part of my college experience.
 
That said, NCAA athletics was completely irrelevant to my purpose in
attending college.  I (gasp) actually went there to educate myself
academically.  I don't know the numbers, but I'd be that at most schools,
students who participate in NCAA sports represent about 20-30% of the
student body.  That means that 70-80% of students out there have a full
college experience without the privilege (not right) of participating in
NCAA sports.  NCAA athletics are not (nor should they be) the main focus of
"what the university offers."  If the NCAA allowed students of any age to
participate, colleges would try to recruit older, bigger, stronger athletes
- the balance of the student athletes' focus would tip even more sharply
toward athletics instead of academics.  It could even conceivably create a
system where (in certain sports) prospective NCAA athletes de facto *have*
to spend several years in an amateur developmental league to have the
opportunity to participate.  While developing their athletic ability, their
academic aptitude is likely to atrophy - further reason to suspect that
their focus at college will weigh too heavily toward athletics.  The NCAA
has made a decision (and, I feel, a correct one) that the overall student
body will be better off if the athletes on campus more closely reflect the
"norm" of the student body, rather than being "ringers" brought in solely
for the purpose of strengthening an athletic team.
 
Using words like "discriminates" and "denied full access" make it sound
like Arthur believes that participating in varsity athletics should be
subject to the same legal protections as applying for jobs or housing.  (I
don't know if he does believe this - it just sounds that way).  Heaven help
us if this were true - the courts are full enough without having to hear
case after case about some student being unfairly cut from his team......
 
Robb
 
 
On Tuesday, May 19, 1998 8:29 AM, Arthur Berman
[SMTP:[log in to unmask]] wrote:
> George said that most students are 25 and under.  This may be (usually
is)
> true but the rule still discriminates against those over 25 who are
denied
> full access to what the university offers if they don't have the option
of
> participating in varsity sports.
>
> Arthur Berman [log in to unmask]
>
> HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
> [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
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