.A BASEBALL PLAYER.

Small children usually request small things: A piece of bread to feed the ducks, a scoop of ice cream, or a minute to look at the trucks at the fire station. Small children usually have big dreams of what they are going to become: A princess, a movie star, and a baseball player for the Red Sox. The world of a young athlete results in semi-celebrity status. Coaches of adolescent leagues covet the talented youngsters and foster an environment of competition.

Many athletes who shine on the field do not excel in the classroom. Regardless, high school athletes are recruited to various colleges and universities. With the lure of a scholarship, many high school seniors choose which institution they are going to attend based on athletics. The factors of playing time, notoriety, facilities and fame greatly outweigh the cost of academic experience and physical well-being.

So the story goes: C student was accepted to XYZ University, sat out his red-shirt season freshman year and maintained at 2.5 GPA. Student started first-string sophomore year and tore his ACL three games into the season. Surgery and bench warming resulted in a loss of scholarship due to inability to perform. Said student is without opportunity to excel in the academic world and an inability to perform on the field. Said student is no longer a student and left with no skill sets.