On Sat, 16 May 1998, CLLCTR5 wrote:
 
> The NCAA allows atheletes of the age of 24 and 25 years old to compete in
> hockey (and in all other sports I believe...but I'm not sure.) My question I
> pose to you is this...is there anything wrong with that? If so...how would you
> like it changed?
 
There is absolutely nothing wrong with that, IMHO. It is not up to the
NC$$ to decide when a player decides to attend College or University. To
assume that someone should graduate from High School at 17 or 18 and move
on to post-secondary education immediately limits the options of student-
athletes.
 
If an athlete does not decide to attend College or University until he is
20 or 21, that's fine, IMHO. I often wonder if students in general wouldn't
benefit from a time lapse between High School and University. (I tend to
think that perhaps I would have, but I was 16 when I graduated High
School. What else was I going to do?)
 
> Should a player that is granted a scholarship at 20 or 21
> years old only be allowed to compete until they are 23?
 
I would argue no. In fact, I would strenuously argue the reverse. I
believe that the stupidest NC$$ rule on the books is the one that forces
a 20-year-old junior hockey player to stop playing once he turns 21, if
he wants to keep his full eligibility. It discriminates against those who
have birthdays from January to April, and is particularly tough on those
who were born in March and April. After having been with a team for the
entire season, I believe that a player should not be forced to miss his
team's playoffs just because his parents conceived him in June instead of
August.
 
See you later,
John
 
--
John Edwards - Carleton (Ont) '96, Manitoba '00 - [log in to unmask]
          Let me get right on that, with thinking. - Officer Barbrady
The opinions expressed are mine alone, because everybody else says I'm weird.
   NOTE: I reserve the right to forward any obnoxious and/or stupid mail.
 
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