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background: I was unremarkable D1 athlete, 3 kids are D1 college athletes today. Most athletes are not invited to the olympics or eligible for the tennis loophole and the vast majority of college coaches are not getting rich doing this.
For most it means is that for a summer job the coaches who trained them for years want them to come back and coach for summer camp but they can't. Players can't even receive a Dunkin Donuts gift card. Tell a music major who needs practice that they cannot be in a band and perform or pre-med they can't work around healthcare.
They have to continue paying for training over the summer out of their pocket but it's hard to get a job when you have to travel for elite summer training and are tired after. This BTW is coaching their college coach recommends and approves of but cannot pay for. Can't work over christmas break either for same reasons.
And most don't get worthless degrees (even non athletes get those) but they do have to "balance". They can choose difficult courses but not too many because their GPA must remain high enough to remain NCAA eligible to keep scholarship but also high enough to remain in their major. You can do time intensive majors like pre-med, engineering or nursing but requires understanding labs/groups willing to meet only in the evenings.
You also cant be in a picture of any crazyness on campus, the unruly parties, shenanigans with the deans daughter etc. But what that really means is you need to get real camera shy, know which parties will GET crazy, or where not to be even when away from school. This is why coaches encourage sports dorms and sports friend groups all to keep a clean face for the school.
What they give up is money but far more than that. Sure they love to compete but there should be a better way to align goals between school and players.
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