College coaches and tough degree plans

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Tom

Mar 13, 2014
222
0
Texas
While watching Texas play on the Longhorn Network commentators were talking about Erin Shireman and how she will be graduating with a degree in Aerospace Engineering and going to work for NASA right after graduation. Very impressive earning that while playing for a major D1, to say the least. (quick side note...Shireman worked the UT camp my daughter attended and was an incredibly impressive and genuinely nice woman too)

I was then reading Yocoachs post about a program not wanting his daughter to study nursing. That got me curious to find out from those of you who have a daughter in (or entering) college, how forthcoming were the coaches about not wanting their players to have demanding degree paths? When did you bring this up with them; in introductory letter, first visit, once they were interested etc? My DD is just in 7th grade and will probably change her mind 100 times, but as of now, she does well in and likes chemistry and physics and wants to study something in that area. Is there anywhere that you have found that shows what degree type each programs seniors graduated with?
 
Jul 19, 2014
2,390
48
Madison, WI
There always seem to be a few rare people who can do everything.
A few decades ago, there was a guy who would speed skate in the U Wisconsin rink until the hockey team came to practice.
Then he would run up and down the stairs for exercise while the hockey team practiced.
Then he would go out and ride is bike, weather permitting.

This guy, Eric Heiden, wound up getting numerous gold medals in speed skating in the 1980 Olympics, quit speed skating, put together a team for the Tour de France, then went to medical school. He was later the team doctor for the US Olympic Speed Skating team.

Most mortals can't do that.

As for my kids, DS doesn't play softball. He rows at a D-3 school. Studies mechanical engineering. He and his rowing teammates put together some study groups for the spring quarter, so they can row and study together. D-3 rowing is tough, but not as tough as D-1.

DD #1 gave up softball a few years ago. She will attend a D-1 school on an academic scholarship (Wisconsin). She will be a pre-med, and won't have time for organized sports. She does yoga on her own, and fortunately got DD #2 and possible DD #3 to do yoga on their own. She also likes to put on the running shoes and run like crazy. Her poor Husky, 9 1/2 years old, can no longer keep up with her.

DD #3 wants to play college softball, but she is just finishing 8th grade now.
 

sluggers

Super Moderator
Staff member
May 26, 2008
7,133
113
Dallas, Texas
That got me curious to find out from those of you who have a daughter in (or entering) college, how forthcoming were the coaches about not wanting their players to have demanding degree paths?

The coaches are honest, as long as you ask the right questions.

The issue with most engineering/chemistry degrees and athletics is the lab work. The lab work is usually done as a group, and the lab reports are all due at the same time. If you ask the coach, "Can I get released from practice to go to lab?" The D1 coach will say, "No, you cannot." The D3 coach will whine and complain, but say, "OK, but you have to make it up"
Is there anywhere that you have found that shows what degree type each programs seniors graduated with?

If you go through the rosters of a team, they usually will list their major.

Just for fun, I went through U of Texas. They have:

1 aerospace engineer
5 biology majors
1 business
1 speech
2 sports management
1 health promotions
1 undergraduate studies
1 exercise science
1 physical culture

It is obvious that the softball team has an "in" over at the biology department, so they are able to help their players get through the program.
 
Jul 19, 2014
2,390
48
Madison, WI
I've seen the other side of this back when I taught college.

Once at a lesser D-1 school (LIU), one of my chemistry students was the basketball team's star shooter. There was ONE time when a game conflicted with a lab. There were two lab sections, and he wanted to make up the lab by taking the other section that week. Of course I let him.
I think I had already agreed before he showed me a note from the coach very politely asking me to let him switch lab sections. The note included a bit about how of course academics were more important than sports, but would it be possible to switch sections to play that one game?


I think he hit 8 treys that game. No 2-point shots or free throws. 24 points, all treys.

EDIT TO ADD: This guy was studying some sort of health profession, I forget which. He was a dual citizen of US and Nigeria, and he had some interesting stories about playing on the Nigerian team with the Olujawon brothers. Let's just say one of the brothers was riding on the other's coat tails, but the better player was helping finance the team.
 
Last edited:
Oct 22, 2009
1,532
0
PA
As Ray said, there are certain majors that are incompatible with certain extra-curricular activities in college. Nursing requires you to do practical rotations in the clinic. Those are scheduled, and you cannot get out of them. If a D1 or D2 school takes a student intent on a nursing major, they will lose her after the sophomore year.

The NCAA recently came out with a report "Results from the 2015 GOALS Study of the Student-Athlete Experience". The results will shock those who are uninitiated:
Hours Spent per Week on Athletic Activities In Season: Softball DI - 39 hours; DII - 34 hours; DIII - 32 hours
Hours Spent per Week on Academic Activities In Season: Softball DI - 39 hours; DII - 39 hours; DIII - 44 hours.

In other words, in season, softball players spend almost 80 hours per week on softball and academics. There is little time for anything else.

It is a HUGE commitment at any level, one that very few MS and HS players and parents can truly grasp.
 
Last edited:

JAD

Feb 20, 2012
8,231
38
Georgia
Most coaches #1 priority is keeping their players eligible.....if a player proves she can handle the workload then more power to her!
 
Sep 29, 2014
2,421
113
The biggest hit is always labs, practicals, the hands-on stuff. Aerospace engineering is LOTS of math, you can do math on your own (and work in the few lab type classes). Nursing is very hands on for the last couple years.

The issue is always how many and what kind of accommodations can be made. You can schedule some lab intensive classes during the off season or second summer semester but sometimes you just need to many hands on classes and can't make it work. My guess is that's what the UT team did for the Biology majors middle of the day fall semester they probably have all their labs or those are all the underclassmen and Biology dept let them declare majors but most will switch to anatomy or physiology or sport medicine because they are in the same college under the same dean...all that to say there could be some gamesmanship going on.

In the end all you can hope for is a coach and dept head that will be honest with you about what it will take to graduate and whether or not softball is a good fit for the time commitment required to do both.
 
Jan 31, 2014
292
28
North Carolina
The NCAA recently came out with a report "Results from the 2015 GOALS Study of the Student-Athlete Experience". The results will shock those who are uninitiated:
Hours Spent per Week on Athletic Activities In Season: Softball DI - 39 hours; DII - 34 hours; DIII - 32 hours
Hours Spent per Week on Academic Activities In Season: Softball DI - 39 hours; DII - 39 hours; DIII - 44 hours.

In other words, in season, softball players spend almost 80 hours per week on softball and academics. There is little time for anything else.

It is a HUGE commitment at any level, one that very few MS and HS players and parents can truly grasp.

Thanks for this. Any breakdown on whether "Athletic Activities" included travel to games, where study and bus/plane time might overlap?
 
Jul 19, 2014
2,390
48
Madison, WI
Thanks for this. Any breakdown on whether "Athletic Activities" included travel to games, where study and bus/plane time might overlap?

Do you know anyone who actually studies on a team bus? They get really noisy.

Most of the girls don't do anything but cheer during the game. Could be study time, but I don't think a coach would appreciate it if one of the ladies on the bench broke out her Anatomy and Physiology book in the middle of a game.
 

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