Should College Athletes Be Paid?
Stephanie L.
Dr. J
Essay 1
June 10, 2013
Should College Athletes Be Paid?
It has been a debate for quite some time as to whether college athletes should be paid for their work on the field. They are some of the hardest working individuals that obtain intense practices and demanding college courses, and many believe that they should be rewarded for their hard work. But the ongoing debate is whether it is right to pay these players as if they were employees. Many major colleges provide the best services for their athletes by providing them with the greatest gyms to workout in, free health insurance for injuries, transportation, food, equipment, and most of the time, a full four-year scholarship. On top of all of these things that are provided, does it seem right to be paying these students as well? Determination and motivation for greatness during college should be enough; therefore, I don’t think that college athletes should be paid.
One reason why student athletes should not be paid is the fact that the college experience should be payment enough. In the article, “College Athletes Should Not Be Paid” found in the book Sports and Athletes, the author talks about “the primary function of academic institutions is to educate, and not to hire student-athletes for their contributions on the basketball court or football field” (Meshefejian 99). When high school athletes are approached for their profound athletic abilities, they often choose the university that will open the door for them to pursue a professional career rather than what will provide them with an exceptional education. Meshefejian makes the following statement to prove why students should not be paid for their athletic abilities:
These players may have chosen a school due to the amount of scholarship money they were receiving, but scholarship money is usually not enough to overwhelm other considerations . . . Paying student-athletes any more than a scholarship would
Dr. J
Essay 1
June 10, 2013
Should College Athletes Be Paid?
It has been a debate for quite some time as to whether college athletes should be paid for their work on the field. They are some of the hardest working individuals that obtain intense practices and demanding college courses, and many believe that they should be rewarded for their hard work. But the ongoing debate is whether it is right to pay these players as if they were employees. Many major colleges provide the best services for their athletes by providing them with the greatest gyms to workout in, free health insurance for injuries, transportation, food, equipment, and most of the time, a full four-year scholarship. On top of all of these things that are provided, does it seem right to be paying these students as well? Determination and motivation for greatness during college should be enough; therefore, I don’t think that college athletes should be paid.
One reason why student athletes should not be paid is the fact that the college experience should be payment enough. In the article, “College Athletes Should Not Be Paid” found in the book Sports and Athletes, the author talks about “the primary function of academic institutions is to educate, and not to hire student-athletes for their contributions on the basketball court or football field” (Meshefejian 99). When high school athletes are approached for their profound athletic abilities, they often choose the university that will open the door for them to pursue a professional career rather than what will provide them with an exceptional education. Meshefejian makes the following statement to prove why students should not be paid for their athletic abilities:
These players may have chosen a school due to the amount of scholarship money they were receiving, but scholarship money is usually not enough to overwhelm other considerations . . . Paying student-athletes any more than a scholarship would