Dec. 18, 2009
By Richard Stevens — Senior Writer/GoLobos.com
University of New Mexico President, Dr. David J. Schmidly, is a leader who has played athletics and still loves his sports. He also has a background as a researcher and an author. But when you weigh the two parts of the term student-athlete, the Schmidly Scale tips heavily toward the student.
“It’s the most important thing that can happen,” Schmidly said, referring to getting a college degree. “It’s more important than winning national championships.”
Schmidly spoke briefly at a reception Friday in the Lobo Center for Student Athlete Success. The gathering was to honor 33 Lobos from 12 sports, who are graduating from UNM in the fall of 2009. Paul Krebs, UNM’s Vice President in charge of athletics, said the true measurement of any athletic department is through the graduation of its student-athletes.
“It’s like the cherry on top,” said Mike Brownstein, a former Lobo baseball player. “You come to UNM and have a great athletic experience and you end up with a degree, so you see that the hard work paid off in both areas.”
Brownstein is one of many UNM athletes who is trying to continue his athletic experience in the pro ranks. Yet, Brownstein returned to UNM to get his degree. Ditto for Jeanne Fairchild, an All-American Lobo volleyball player, who returned from the leisurely life as a pro in order to earn her parchment.
“I got used to sleeping in and playing volleyball and not worrying about school,” said Fairchild, whose college eligibility ended in December of 2008. “It was nice.
“But I was only 14 credits away from graduating and I was really motivated to get my degree. Of course, my parents stressed a degree, but this was more for me. It just wasn`t an option to throw the chance away to get a degree. It became another goal for me.”
|
THE GRADUATES Kevin Atkinson – BB |
There is no doubt that many athletes go to college hoping to develop their skills in their specific sport to a high enough level to make a living as a pro. Of course, most do not make it.
“So many kids you recruit come in thinking about playing professionally,” said Mike Locksley, UNM’s football coach. “And I have no problem with that dream. It’s a great dream to have. But as coaches we have to be the alter ego that makes them understand the importance of education and a degree.
“It’s not as hard as it used to be (to get an athlete focused on education). There is so much structure provided by the school and even the NCAA. The student-athlete today understands that they can’t get around the need to make progress toward a degree.”
With some athletes, it’s tough to get them to apply the discipline and the work ethic required to reach graduation. It’s also tough to be a full-time collegiate athlete and graduate in four years. And then there is Frankie Solomon, who graduated in 3 ½ years.
“I came here on a scholarship and it would be foolish not to take advantage of that,” said Solomon. “It just comes down to taking care of business, putting in the work and going to class. I also went to summer school every summer I was here.”
The urge to grab that degree comes from self-motivation. But the University of New Mexico athletics department also is there to give its athletes a firm push and a whole lot of support.
A recent NCAA study showed that the Lobos athletic department graduated 55 percent of the student-athletes who enrolled at UNM as freshmen during the 2002-03 school year – a mark 12 percent higher than the graduation mark (43 percent) for all students who enrolled at UNM as freshmen during the same period.
The Lobos set a spring grade point average (G.P.A) in the 2009 spring semester of 3.12. The 2009’s fall G.P.A. has not yet been finalized.
Much of that athletic success is a byproduct of the philosophy — and the demands — coming down from Schmidly and Krebs. UNM also made a jump in the support column with the addition of the Student Support and Services Center. This is a one-stop shop provided by the Division of Enrollment Services and the UNM Athletic Department to take care of all the needs of current and prospective students and student-athletes.
“I’m sure that not all the athletes come in here with the mindset that they are going to graduate,” said Henry Villegas, a UNM assistant athletics director in charge of academics. “Some athletes look at college as the minor leagues and are only thinking about playing pro at the next level. Part of our job is to get their attention and educate them about the value of academics and the value of a degree.
“This is an important day for our department. The ultimate goal in our athletic department is to see that our student-athletes leave here with a degree. Our (academic) team wins when an athlete graduates.”
Said Brownstein: “The athletic department here really focuses on academics. Our baseball program also stresses the academics. Athletes coming into college need to realize that they shouldn’t be doing it for just the sports.”
Locksley made another good point about a degree and how it eventually helps even the athletes who make it on the pro level.
“Even for the one percent that make it into pro ball, that’s still a short period of time and at some point the lights will go off in the stadium,” said Locksley. “They’ll need that degree to move them forward in their next career and forward in life.”
Erik Cook, UNM’s All-Mountain West Conference center, is exploring the path to the NFL and has ties to that next level because of his NFL brother, Ryan Cook.
“I can tell you from talking to the older guys I know who aren’t playing football anymore that they understand how important it is to have education as something to fall back on,” said Cook.