The NCAA released the most recent statistics regarding
graduation rates of athletes at Division I schools about a month ago. What the organization found was good: The success for student athletes who entered school between 1997-2000 held the same number, 77 percent, as the previous study.
Although the NCAA wants this figure to continue to improve, schools are doing everything they can to make it happen. At VCU, a support system is in place that aims to make this happen.
Sofia Hiort-Wright, director of Student Athlete Support
Services, said VCU athletes are set up to succeed right from the start.
“We meet with the freshmen every week, and we catch up on what they are doing. I also give them a planner,” she said.
However, that is not all the help that the student athletes receive.”We have tutors available 10 a.m. until 10 p.m. everyday,” Hiort-Wright said. “Most student athletes are in tutoring two days per week.”
Although these services are available to athletes to keep their grades in check with the university and with NCAA regulations, classes, practices and games make it difficult for students to do anything else.
“Most Mondays we have lifting at 7:30 a.m. Then I have class from 8 until 2 and then practice from 3 until 6,” said Cat Juson, a junior setter on the volleyball team.
Juson also has class following practice, from 7 p.m. until 9:40 p.m.
“It’s a full day,” she said.
Juson said that volleyball players often miss classes on Thursday and Friday because of traveling and games. This, however, does not mean that the players are not studying.
“There is a lot of staying up late trying to finish work. The whole team stays up studying,” she said.
The struggles of Juson and the volleyball team are made more difficult by a set of strict standards. However, these standards don’t come from VCU or the NCAA.
Head coach James Finley lays down the law for his team.
“We have study hours – and it’s dictated by me,” Finley said.
Finley, a former teacher, thinks that he is somewhat strict because of his teaching background and the small percentage of professional female athletes.
“They are not allowed to miss a class – period, unless it’s athletically related,” he said.
The team must turn all work in early and before games, not after, Finley said.
With all the hard work put in on and off the court or playing field, it is easy to see why such a support system exists for student athletes.
“We try really hard to have our players graduate in four years,” Finley said, “which is hard for non-athletes to accomplish.”