By Matthew Holt
Nkem Ojougboh is one of hundreds of students on campus who balances the life of an athlete with the schedule of a student.
Managing both school and athletics can come easy to some and difficult to others. But that’s magnified for the student athlete. While it might be easy to fall back on the stereotype that all athletes suffer from bad grades, most students don’t realize how difficult it is to maintain a normal college workload while competing at the highest level athletically.
College athletes can travel up to three times a week and are still required to uphold the same classroom standards as other students. With help from team tutors, these students must be able to complete assignments on time and study for exams both on the road and at home.
Ojougboh, a sophomore center on Northeastern men’s basketball team, deals with these pressures every day.
“It’s hard to balance at times. You have class in the morning, go get something to eat, lift weights, practice and eat again,” Ojougboh said. “After that, it’s almost 10 o’clock and you have to go back and do your homework.”
For Ojougboh, a balance can sometimes be difficult considering his responsibilities.
“It’s hard because you’re busy every day,” he said. “Even if you have a day off, you still have to go to treatments, you still have to go shoot around and you have to go watch tapes with coaches.”
With such a busy schedule, it’s easy for student athletes to fall behind in their schoolwork. To help them stay on the academic track, academic advisors and tutors are assigned to each team.
Elizabeth Johnson is the senior academic coordinator for Northeastern athletics.
“We are responsible for making sure the athletes adhere to the Northeastern rules as to the number of classes taken per semester, where they are as in terms of graduation and making sure they maintain NCAA grade levels,” she said.
Being a freshman in college is also a difficult adjustment. Athletes who fall into that category are whipped right into shape, with all freshmen and transfer students receiving a mandatory five hours of tutoring a week, Johnson said.
“It helps bridge the gap from high school and starts them off on the right foot in college,” he said.
Some students, however, find they do not need to use the tutors offered. After freshman year, tutoring differs for athletes, and is based on the amount of time each athlete needs.
“I’m on the opposite end. I have the highest GPA on the team so I don’t really deal with the tutors,” Ojougboh said. “But for freshmen, the first few months can be hard. We only have practice and school, so there aren’t any days off. When we start to have games, it gets easier because we get more time to rest.”
Eugene Spates, a junior forward for the men’s basketball team, uses tutoring to his advantage.
“I meet with my athletic advisor once a week and we talk about how class is going, go over the syllabus for each class and make a plan for what I need to get accomplished,” he said.
The tutors work very closely with the players and coaches to make sure academic standards are met.
“My tutors e-mail my coach and let him know how I am doing in my meetings and if I’m coming prepared,” Spates said.
Difficulties for athletes acedemically sometimes go beyond what the athlete can control. When choosing classes, athletes have to factor in road games and practice times.
“We give each athlete a grid to block out practice times and look at team schedules so they can be in class as much as possible. Unfortunately, the athletes register as any other student would, which does not allow us to always get the classes or class time that would be better for everyone,” Johnson said.
Lauren DeSantis, Northeastern’s director of Student Athlete Services, is a big promoter of the study hall program.
“We define study hall as a structured study time each week. It is set up as almost like an extra class for them,” she said.
Another program offered to athletes is the mentor program. This is set up to give athletes a support system in their academics in the form of someone who makes sure they stay on track.
With all of these programs available, some believe the athletes are given special treatment.
“Some say, ‘Oh well they have tutoring’, but so does everyone else if they want it. We just have a more structured approach,” DeSantis said.
Ryan Ginand, a junior forward on the men’s hockey team, deals with the athlete stereotype every day.
“The reason why we get stereotyped is because of those who use sports as an excuse not to show up. It’s not really fair because most of us do show up and work hard to get good grades,” he said.
The biggest issue athletes deal with is traveling. When teams have away games, students are not there to turn in homework assignments or take exams on time.
“When our athletes travel they are excused by rule in the Northeastern handbook. Obviously you will always have someone who does not like the policy, but it applies for anyone in band, student government and other programs, not just athletics,” DeSantis said.
Ginand takes an alternative approach when it comes to handing in assignments that are due while on the road.
“Teachers don’t give too many privileges, so I try to hand in my papers early. If not, then we usually have Internet access, so I will just send it in an e-mail,” he said.
Professors are equally busy with classes and exams, so players being on the road can often interfere with their schedules.
“Some professors say they don’t have time to stay the extra hour to give an exam to an athlete who has missed it while on the road,” she said. “So we have the coaches or advisors administer a lot of the exams using the university honor code.”
Dealing with uncooperative professors can be a problem.
“We do have some professors who are not very cooperative and we do keep track of [that]. It is not a fight you want to have every semester,” DeSantis said.
When it comes to being a student athlete, people sometimes incorrectly assume it is easy.
“It’s hard for them,” DeSantis said. “How many kids do you know [who] get up at 6 a.m. to lift weights, go to class, [and] then have a practice or game?”
