By Sam Crocker
Managing Editor
As a student-athlete, I was surprised when my academic advisor notified me that I needed to complete gym credits in order to graduate. If I weren’t already physically healthy then surely I wouldn’t be a college athlete?
According to the student handbook, the wellness and physical fitness learning objective is that the “graduate demonstrates understanding and appreciation of the importance of physical care, development, and wellness, and engages in wellness and physical fitness activity.” The operative words in this sentence would be understanding, appreciation and engagement. In my opinion, student-athletes go above and beyond achieving all of these things in their daily dedication to their intercollegiate athletics.
Firstly, athletes clearly engage in wellness and physical fitness activity. During their sporting season, student-athletes participate in up to 16 hours of athletic activity per week and six hours per week out-of-season. This doesn’t just include practice and competition; much of this time is also spent improving general fitness in the gym, taking part in wellness activities like yoga, or taking part in recovery sessions in the swimming pool. Time is also spent as a team going through team tactics or bonding with one another. This wide-ranging fitness program clearly exceeds what currently takes place during gym classes.
Perhaps the reason why athletes are still required to do gym classes is that they do not understand or appreciate the importance of physical care and development? I would argue that the athletics department has solved that for student-athletes too. A component of being part of a student athlete is taking part in extra-curricular education programs. Student-athletes take part in the “Knights Skills” program annually, which educates them on a wide range of topics from nutrition to finance management. In addition they also participate in an alcohol and drugs education program as mandated by the NCAA.
It seems that student-athletes are achieving the objectives that are set in the student handbook, but anyone who has completed a gym class knows that community service is also a component of completing the course. Well, you guessed it, that is taken care of too. All Saint Rose athletic teams take part in community service that is coordinated and documented by the Student Athlete Advisory Committee. Every year, the athletic department raises money towards local and national causes and dedicates hours of their time to volunteer in the community.
It seems that Saint Rose is lagging behind other institutions when it comes to the idea of physical education credits. Of the 14 colleges in the Northeast-10 conference, only one other institution still has a physical education requirement as part of their liberal education. This institution waives the condition for any student on the squad list of an intercollegiate team. Â Therefore Saint Rose student-athletes are the only members of the NE-10 who are obligated to complete physical fitness courses.
I am not suggesting that student-athletes shouldn’t be allowed to take part in gym classes. They are welcome to take as many gym courses that they want, just like any other student on campus. However it shouldn’t be a requirement that they prove they understand, appreciate and take part in physical fitness and wellness activity. Athletes already dedicate hours to physical fitness every week. The privilege of representing a college in intercollegiate sports is bestowed upon those who have dedicated years to the perfection of their physical and sporting prowess. It seems a contradiction that the school is willing to provide them with such an honorable opportunity, yet still requires them to prove that they have a basic understanding of one’s physical fitness. College athletes are experts in their field. NASA doesn’t hire astrophysicists and then require them to take part in elementary science classes.
Let me be clear, I am not arguing to get rid of gym classes at Saint Rose. Neither am I arguing to change the way they are taught (Jonas Miller has already wrestled with that beast). I think that physical education has a place in today’s America, where time spent exercising is dropping and the rate of obesity is increasing. But Saint Rose student-athletes prove to the public every time they step into the playing arena that they are positive examples of physical fitness. It’s time student-athletes are given the credit they deserve.
