New policy on pregnant athletes
 

http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_8052301

What's your reaction?

Obviously it will be popular among women's groups, but it seems to put a burden upon teams if the player doesn't return to competitive form. Top form is difficult to achieve and to maintain, and child birth is not exactly kind to athletic performance. Now sometimes women bounce right back, but not always. What did the college do to promote or cause the pregnancy? Host a party?

I think it is selfish. But not really any more selfish than someone choosing to go on a mission.

I would not be happy if one of my teammates (if I were a girl) choose to try and get pregnant and it affected the make up of our team and limited our chances to compete at the highest level.

If the school is giving you a scholarship, I kind of feel it is like a contract between the 2 parties. the school on one hand promises to give you that money and on the other hand you promise to live up to your end of the deal and actually be available to come out and compete, barring injury.

You're correct about the scholarship is like a contract. That's why, unlike super do gooder Gerdy, I never had a problem with Majerus sending players on their way - they didn't live up to their end of that contract.

I don't know about anything that that happened with Majerus, but I think part of the contract responsibility goes to the school, who has an obligation to continue to support the player even if they don't turn out to be as good as the school had hoped.

I respectfully disagree. The kids who get full rides to play a sport need to demonstrate that they deserve the scholarship more than another athlete that wasn't offered the scholarship. They have to do their part on and off the field to keep it. Athletes have it a lot easier at school than other students, unless it has changed drastically since when I was in school. A few examples:

When registering for classes, as athletes on scholarship, we had first choice of classes for each term.

There was always a tutor available. My baseball coach was a lot like Majerus in that we had a tutor who traveled to away games with us.

More flexibility for exams - if we were on the road when a mid-term was coming up, we had the option of taking it before we left or returned home.

Most importantly, classes cost nothing. Books cost nothing. Housing cost nothing. Meals cost nothing if we ate on campus.

A kid would get this and more just because he could catch a football or throw a ball through the hoop, etc. If he doesn't do his part, he shouldn't be given the opportunity to get a free education.

I should note that I'm not talking about the kids that never crack the starting lineup or play very little. I'm talking about the kids that show no improvement over the course of a season. If they're not busting their butt on the practice field or in the class room, they should have the scholarship yanked, IMO.

I agree with you. The athlete has to do his part. If they aren't making all the effort to improve and be a meaningful part of the team then they are dead weithgt and should be cut loose. As an athlete you aren't entitled to anything.

I just don't want people having their scholly yanked because someone else came along that was better, even though they are putting in all the time a effort required of them.

Understood and agreed.