06/01/2025
OPINION: Student-athletes are gambling their future
By Rian Gabriel Fuentes
“What will happen if I do not succeed in what I am doing right now?” This question is often neglected by student-athletes during their prime. The shining medals and full-pledged scholarships are tempting as they shimmer opportunities for a bright future. The instant fame once selected for the national team and international competitions. However, what happens if an injury strikes or no university would provide them a scholarship grant? Is this the end for them? Student-athletes need to realize that their alluring title equates to a gamble and risk in their future.
More often than not, student-athletes have a demanding lifestyle where they do not have time to explore their other interests, strengths, and hobbies. Student-athletes spend hours studying all day, followed by demanding training sessions that stretch into the night. Lucky are those that are gifted with knowledge or are equipped with the value of being responsible and time management as they can find time in pursuing other things such as journalism, knitting, or drawing. Their bodies are already tired after training and to properly recover their muscles, they need to sleep at least eight hours. Being a varsity limits time for self-discovery that could benefit future career prospects.
Student-athletes have a tendency to revolve around their sport, they forgot the word “student” in their title. Some schools can indirectly contribute to this mindset as they prioritize their student-athlete’s athletic career by having a system where when they are in a competition, they will acquire the highest score by their classmate. The strive and hunger for the medals, awards, and recognition during competition season requires week-long absence which can hinder their learning development. This is not necessarily an act of exploitation, but schools may jeopardize the future of their student-athletes by prioritizing sports over academics.
Unlike other learners, many student-athletes have the tendency to be known for having superior abilities in their respective sports. However, that is it—only their athletic capability that is recognized—not their other accomplishments. There is a stereotype that student-athletes have physical attributes rather than intellectual capability. In return, they are only labelled by their influence on sports rather than recognizing their ability as an individual. Some athletes are also good in mathematics or eloquent in public speaking, but it is often overlooked and undervalued because their athletic career overpowers their other abilities. This can result in the student-athlete centrically aligning themselves as being only known as an athlete and abandon improving and expanding their different skills.
Critics would point out that I have a pessimistic viewpoint towards the future of student-athletes as it directs to their identity crisis after retiring or quitting their sport. After all, well-known sportsmen that have inspired the country through winning both international and national tournaments such as the Olympics and Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) were once student-athletes. Although some schools actually provide opportunities for the less fortunate to study in their institution, they are not gaining the same academic education as their peers; focusing only on sports. Nonetheless, there should also be consideration that joining the national team is nearly impossible unless you have connections, resources to cover your fees, or are extremely talented. In every Alyssa Valdez, there were hundreds of girls who sacrificed the same amount of time, effort, and personal life dreaming of having the same caliber and recognition as her but were left hopeless after no universities or scholarship opportunities were provided after high school.
The glitter and glitz of dreaming to compete in national and international tournaments to be recognized, gain fame, and earn a living has been long embedded by every student-athletes as their ultimate dream. Reality-wise, in every successful and multi-millionaire player lies hundreds and thousands of retired athletes who focused too much on their sport that they forgot to invest in other aspects—leaving them with an uncertain future. Being a student-athlete should not be too romanticized as you are sacrificing your personal life, academic responsibilities, and extra time for a dream that is also dreamt by thousands of athletes. That is why schools should provide seminars to their student-athletes about the risks and consequences of their lifestyle. Aside from general seminars, educational institutions need to focus on assessing the mental health of their athletes and help them develop the value of resilience in both their sports and personal lives. Student-athletes should also take time to think and reflect on their future if their athletic career does not flourish as what they had expected. The system is not perfect, but one thing is clear, a student-athlete can learn so much from one's experience about hard work and sacrifice that he will apply for the rest of his/her life./The Ripples
[Art by Kristine Cielo Ursua]
