The Athletic-Academic Connection: Part 3

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Parents and Prospects Can Create an Academic Atmosphere Where None Was Before 

Academics begin at home.  Make no mistake – parents are responsible for creating an academic setting for their children – an atmosphere which should revolve around the following elements:

• Dedication
• Focus
• Time
• Results
• Accountability

While ideally the academic structure in the home would start at the earliest possible time frame (i.e. elementary or primary school), we often discover that athletics and social activities have been such focal points of family life that nearly all things impacting good academic performance have been subjugated to something akin to necessary evils.      

This arm’s length approach to academics severely limits an aspiring student-athlete’s options.  To say it simply, grades are the most influential catalyst to receiving an athletic scholarship offer, so when parents elect not to make academics a priority, their children eventually pay the consequences in some significant way – they are either passed over for kids with better grades or are forced to pay much more out-of-pocket for college.      

As NSR scouts, after seeing that an athlete has the potential to play at the college level, we home in on grades.  We know that good academic performance signals a plethora of positive things: 

1. Mental acuity:  College coaches usually present advanced, competitive concepts to recruits.  Bright students can be expected to grasp and put these innovations to use more quickly than those who have produced poor grades.
2. Academic insight:  High school grads with good grades typically have achieved them because of a keen desire to learn and a need to perform well in the classroom.  They enjoy competing academically with classmates and enjoy the personal, social and academic benefits which come with the attainment of good grades.
3. Predictability:  College coaches see recruits with good grades as predictable.  It is highly unlikely that a good high school student will come to college and suddenly become disinterested in academics, especially since their scholarship is typically in some way linked to classroom results.       

So, can parents and kids improve the academic atmosphere in their home?  Yes, but both must agree to work together, to set up standards and expectations, to establish short and long term goals, and to make necessary adjustments if the desired outcomes are not reached.   

Here are some pointers on where to start:

Dedication:  There can be no excuses for avoiding academic responsibility.  Parents and kids must understand that achieving good grades is the family priority when compared to athletics and social choices. That said, it is essential to be flexible when it comes to study time.  Travel to and from away contests in particular can be an obstacle to quality study.  And, pulling away from social moorings can be difficult.  Nonetheless, the dedicated students always find the time to study and get their academic work accomplished whether it is in the bus trip, in the bleachers while waiting to dress for the game, during other opportunities which may present themselves like on weekends at home and study halls at school.  Recognizing and seizing these opportunities to fulfill one’s academic responsibilities are crucial to success.  

Focus:  Study time must be approached and regarded as academic game time.  At that point, nothing else should matter.  It is the singular focus of the student.  Phone calls, emails and texts must all be of secondary concern and avoided.  As an apt comparison, it would be inconceivable for an athlete to stop during practice to accept a personal phone call or to text a friend.  Practice time is honored as untouchable and so should study time.

Time:  How many hours per week are designated for practice?  No athlete can be expected to maintain or improve their skills without it.  The same attitude should be attached to study time.  It should be a designated time of the day and it should be adhered to by the entire family.  No TV.  No music.  No distractions.  This is study time and that is what should occur, nothing else.

Results:  All productive plans include anticipated results.  An academic plan must meet that standard as well.  Where do you want to be in each class, academically, at mid-term?  What scores on tests, papers and exams will you strive to achieve? 

Accountability:  This is where many parents and student-athletes fall short.  A lot of worry and work are exerted on the front end of the process, as they should be, but poor follow through in the middle and end of the stratagem creates emotional and practical pitfalls which allow the kids to fail.  Although the family may make what appears to be an effective plan, they typically fail to establish benchmarks, outcome expectations, contingencies and consequences, all which are critical components in the most well conceived problem solving game plans.  Starting has to happen, but finishing is vital. 

Family dynamics are very difficult to change.  Habits, whether physical or emotional, have been in place for years.  But, for academics to flourish in a home, everyone must be willing to overlook what has happened in the past, contribute, cooperate and support the effort to make positive changees happen, start to end.  It can be accomplished when a family works in concert to achieve such an important objective.

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