Athletics provides high school and college students with opportunities for personal fulfilment. However, there are some serious challenges and weaknesses facing athletics in the US today. While there are many stakeholders who suffer as a result of these challenges, college students bear the brunt. It is important for all concerned stakeholders to join forces and address these challenges.
The failure by such athletics organizations as the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA) to prioritize the wellbeing of students is one of the greatest weaknesses in athletics (Engel & Kelly, 2017). Instead of taking measures to enhance the academic performance and overall wellbeing of athletes, these organizations are more concerned about using the students to generate revenue. Another weakness that hinders athletics is fraud. Recently, reports emerged that bribery was rife among college basketball teams (Burnes & Greason, 2017). These reports dealt damage to the image of college athletics. Failing to secure the future of athletes is another weakness of athletics departments in the US. Research has shown that many athletes are anxious and uncertain about what their future holds (Romo & Shipman, 2014). Sexual assault is yet another issue that is tainting the image of athletics. There have been allegations that athletes in such institutions as colleges are among the main perpetrators of sexual assault (Mondell, 2018). If these weaknesses and challenges are not addressed, there is a real risk that athletics will lose its glory and positive reputation.
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The discussion above has identified some of the main weaknesses and misfortunes affecting athletics. While there are various factors responsible for these issues, I personally feel that leadership failures are primarily to blame. I think that those in charge of athletics departments have failed to safeguard the wellbeing of athletes and set them on the right path. For example, such organizations as the NCAA have failed to do enough to secure the future of athletes. This is why many athletes are worried about their future. The observations that I have made coupled with my personal experiences have led me to believe that the key to addressing the challenges facing athletics lies in effective leadership. When leaders fulfill their obligations faithfully, athletics will become a tool for positive impact.
References
Burnes, H. W., & Greason, G. A. (2017). Panelists consider challenges facing college athletics. The Harvard Crimson. Retrieved September 18, 2018 from
https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2017/10/17/college-athletics-panel/
Engel, C., & Kelly, T. (2017). Unwinding madness: experts break down key issues facing the NCAA today. Brookings Institution. Retrieved September 18, 2018 from
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brookings-now/2017/03/16/unwinding-madness-experts-break-down-key-issues-facing-the-ncaa-today/
Mondell, J. (2018). Interactive graphic: sexual assault and college sports. The Pitt News. Retrieved September 18, 2018 from https://pittnews.com/article/127543/sports/infographic-sexual-assault-college-athletes/
Romo, L., & Shipman, M. (2014). Study offers insights into challenges college athletes face.
NC State University. Retrieved September 18, 2018 from https://news.ncsu.edu/2014/10/romo-athletes-2014/
