College Softball's Dirty Little Secret?

[SoCalSoftballdad]

Maybe this isn't news to some, but I recently checked the roster and majors of some of the top D1 softball programs in the nation and found something that I find very interesting. The vast majority of the players are majoring in the social sciences and studies that do not require as much classroom time and effort as other majors, thereby allowing the players to devote much of their college life to the game of softball.

For example, the 2010 Georgia Softball roster includes some of the following majors:

Public Relations
Recreation & Leisure
Social Work
Sociology
Sports Management
Early Childhood Education
Health Promotion (3)

and little, to none in the hard sciences / business related majors like: engineering, pre-med, chemistry, physics, mathementics, computer sciences, business, finance & accounting, etc.

*note: I stopped counting after the first 15 GA players or so. UCLA and Stanford were a little better but not significantly. And FL and AZ didn't even list the players' majors?

My concern is two-fold. (1) Are some of the nations brightest high school girls foregoing pursuits in the hard sciences (and ultimately better carreers) just so they can play softball for 4 years in college? and 2) Does college athletics allow the players to have majors that are more classroom and academic intensive?

What kind of career/job can these young women expect to have after college? Just something that the parents and players need to think about.

 

[SoftSocDad]

Maybe athletes are just selecting the majors they want. Heck, most schools now have 'design your own degree' programs available.

One of the primary considerations of graduate and professional degree programs is college GPA. I personally know many communications, sociology, psychology, etc. graduates who got into medical school, which chemistry and biology graduates missed out the first time around because their GPAs were a point lower.

In other words, study what you want, but if your plan is to get into a highly competitive graduate program, it's not a bad idea to choose a path of less resistance.

 

[starsnuffer]

What's wrong with wanting to be a teacher or a coach? Did you compare the ratio of Softball players to other athletes? Non-athletes? The SEC isn't generally known for it's fine educational institutions, and Georgia is certainly lower on that list then others(hush, I'm a UF alumnus), but you said you compared Stanford and UCLA so I can't fault you there.

Did you actually compare the amount of class-time required for the different disciplines or are you just assuming the ones you posted are "easy"? I'm also interested in the number of women in general in the disciplines you mentioned. I know when I was an engineering student at UF, there weren't many women studying for the same. I know that the amount of female applicants I interview for engineering jobs now is very low, and I've never interviewed a former softball player (to my knowledge).

The A ball program my daughter was playing for last summer had one of the girls go to Syracuse (playing softball for them) this fall as pre-med. That isn't to say she won't change their majors though.

That said, college sports at D1 level DOES take a LOT of time, and it would be really hard to compete academically with students who do not have an athletic commitment, but that isn't to say it can't be done.

In the end, college is worth what you PUT in and TAKE out of it, it's worth the experience. The degree is pretty meaningless in this day and age, (doctors and lawyers excluded but even they are more successful when they're not doctoring or lawyering)

-W

 

[sluggers]

DD#1 played D1 softball and majored in Physical Education. DD#3 played D3 basketball and majored in chemistry.

Are some of the nations brightest high school girls foregoing pursuits in the hard sciences (and ultimately better carreers) just so they can play softball for 4 years in college?

There is no doubt that some girls and parents are hooked on playing sports--so, they will sacrifice their future in order to play college sports.

Does college athletics allow the players to have majors that are more classroom and academic intensive?

Not really. Hard classes require much more out of a student than showing up in the classroom for an hour and then doing two hours of homework. The student needs to be in a study group (whether it is informal or formal). Then, there are the labs.

As for D1, the coach will *NOT* let a student miss practice to attend a lab. If there is a conflict, the student may have to wait until the next time it is offered, which often means it is impossible to get a degree in four years--advanced courses with lab work are offered only once a year, so the student will have to wait until after their college career ends to take the class.

Coaches will "guide" students to the easier majors. They will even suggest that a player change majors to something less demanding because it is interfering with player's development.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

I could name the D1 athletes, both boys and girls that I know, that were not allowed to take the majors that they wanted. Two got the sports management degree and found it worthless and another got a history degree, that she didn't want. She wanted to be s physical therapist, but 5 years late (to get a 4 year degree), she is in no mood to go back to school.

 

[starsnuffer]

Doesn't NCAA mean No College Academics Allowed?

-W

 

[SoCalSoftballdad]

DD#1 played D1 softball and majored in Physical Education. DD#3 played D3 basketball and majored in chemistry.



There is no doubt that some girls and parents are hooked on playing sports--so, they will sacrifice their future in order to play college sports.



Not really. Hard classes require much more out of a student than showing up in the classroom for an hour and then doing two hours of homework. The student needs to be in a study group (whether it is informal or formal). Then, there are the labs.

As for D1, the coach will *NOT* let a student miss practice to attend a lab. If there is a conflict, the student may have to wait until the next time it is offered, which often means it is impossible to get a degree in four years--advanced courses with lab work are offered only once a year, so the student will have to wait until after their college career ends to take the class.

Coaches will "guide" students to the easier majors. They will even suggest that a player change majors to something less demanding because it is interfering with player's development.

sluggers - I was hoping you would provide us with your experience since you have DDs that played sports in college. Hypothetically, if I had a DD that was an exceptional student that wanted to have a successful career in the hard sciences or corporate America, I don't know if she could pursue playing softball at a D1 school without sacrificing her career aspirations?

In my part of the country, I see many former D1 athletes who have social science degrees who cannot find a job now that their playing days are over. Very few will find coaching positions at universities (if they choose that route) and are struggling to make ends meet. Very, very few will be able to make a comfortable living doing anything softball related even if they went to a "top" school.

Starsnuffer - there is nothing wrong with wanting to be a teacher or coach, but I think these former collegiate athlete's hands are tied somewhat on what type of job they can get after college.

SoftSocDad - Most of the medical doctors I know, including my brother-in-law, had a hard science degree (pre-med, chemistry, etc) as an undergrad. I'm not saying a communications major can not get a medical degree, but it is highly unlikely that she has attained the necessary classes for medical school. As sluggers points out, these majors require a lot of the students time that playing softball at the collegiate level might not afford them the opportunity.

Just food for thought....

 

[PAcoach]

Niece pitched for a D2 school. between the academics and softball, she only played 2 years because of the demand. Education was her priority.

 

[Amy in AZ.]

No. There is nothing wrong with being a teacher or a coach, but Sports Management doesn't qualify you to do either. I see very few education majors in D1 athletics, due to the student teaching requirement. I suppose it could be during their 5th year, but then you need to make certain that the university is paying for that additional semester.

 

[Cannonball]

Wow, dd took her first official visit yesterday. When asked what she intended to major in with the advisers who showed potential class demands, she said, "Early Childhood Education." I guess I'll have to tell her that it isn't acceptable and that she's a dummy if she does that. ---- Then again, I guess I'll just bite my tongue and allow her to be happy with what she wants to do in life.