The Student(less) Athlete: Identifying the Unidentified College Student

Abstract

The National Collegiate Athletic Associate (NCAA) and others have frequently wrestled with the issue of academic reform. These concerns have primarily surfaced over the need to address the dual role of <i>student</i> and <i>athlete</i> in higher education. Some contend that participation in college athletics has positive academic benefits for its participants (Pacarella et al., 1995; Ryan, 1989). Nevertheless, a significant number of studies have challenged this assertion, arguing that there is an overemphasis on athletics at the expense of the student-athlete's undergraduate studies and beyond (Jayakumar & Comeaux, 2006; Edwards, 1984; Eitzen, 2003). This inherent contradiction forms the basis for this article. Briefly highlighting college recruiting activities and the commodification of the "baller" on campus, the case is made for colleges and universities to become more responsive and supportive to the students they serve by scrupulously understanding their cultural background and the academic environments that facilitate and/or impede their critical personal development.