College Athletics Represents a Unique American Opportunity. Institutions Must Preserve It
College Track and Field's Dangerous Predicament: A Grave Concern for America's Diverse and Opportunity Sport
Columnist of today's op-ed is none other than Russell Dinkins, the dynamic Executive Director of the Tracksmith Foundation.
The swift-paced evolution of the college sports landscape, initiated by the arrival of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals and the newly-approved antitrust settlement, is throwing Olympic sports, particularly track and field, into a whirlwind of chaos. Colleges are swiftly reconsidering which sports to sustain and which may face the chopping block.
Should the unfortunate demise of any Olympic sport occur, it would be troubling, but the obliteration of America's chance-granting sport, track and field, would be nothing short of catastrophic. Not just for developing elite athletes, but for the sport's widespread diversity and accessibility among the racial and socio-economic groups across the nation.
With the House settlement settlement on the table and NCAA Division I track and field championships taking place this week in Oregon, it's high time to address these pressing issues surrounding one of America's cheapest, most popular and inclusive youth sports.
Track and field proudly wears the title of America's premier sport, boasting participation from both male and female athletes at a staggering scale. It stands out as the most affordable sport for youngsters, allowing children from various socio-economic backgrounds to take part.
Unlike many other youth sports, where exclusive club or travel teams dominate, track and field athletes easily catch the eye of college coaches simply by excelling at their high school meets. Performances are precisely quantifiable, providing a fair and objective platform for recognition.
In this age of expensive club sports, teenage athletes needing college recruitment hardly have the luxury of being club-free. However, tenacious competitors on the track and field circuit gain visibility only by participating in their local high school meets. Better yet, nearly all high-school track results are meticulously documented in a centralized national database, opening up the recruitment process for those from even the remotest rural areas.
The NCAA and its member colleges have long enjoyed the image of offering educational opportunities to those who may not have had them otherwise. While this impression is largely the result of clever marketing, one sport truly upholds this ideal – track and field.
As the NCAA's biggest sport in terms of participation, track and field proves itself to be the goldmine of Olympic sports in the NCAA. Furthermore, it boasts remarkable diversity, with nearly half of the NCAA's athletes of color participating in track and field and cross country. No other Olympic sport in the NCAA even comes close.
In an unfortunate twist, approximately 70% of Olympic sports athletes in the NCAA are white, but track and field distinguishes itself by fostering over 40% athletes of color. Additionally, track and field stands as a beacon for women, being the large-scale sport in high school as well as the largest by participation in the NCAA.
For men and young boys, track's role in making college an accessible option is significant, considering the national trend of fewer young men pursuing higher education compared to women. Track represents one of the few ways to efficiently and effectively bring young males into the college classroom. While it is essential to celebrate the growth of female enrollment in colleges, society must not turn a blind eye to the decline in male participation.
The NCAA and educational institutions as a whole should be keenly invested in preserving sports as a viable and invaluable gateway to education, particularly for disadvantaged populations. Eliminating or diminishing college track programs works against this noble goal. Consequently, the NCAA should grant college track special consideration or protected status due to its unique societal rewards.
However, college track can also enhance its market value in the modern collegiate sphere by emphasizing its financial and cultural worth. By adjusting college meets to fit into a television-friendly two-hour window, with easily comprehensible scoring structures for audience engagement, and by capitalizing on the economic void in the spring-season when other sports are dormant, college track could elevate its presence and public appreciation.
Finally, the sport should take up the mantle of education, informing the public of track and field's profound societal benefits. By creating a broad understanding of the sport's unparalleled role in providing accessible, merit-based, high school-to-college pipelines, the world can appreciate track and field as a valuable asset to educational institutions and society at large.
Sport is often thought of as the great equalizer, but that sentiment does not reflect reality for many sports in modern America. However, there is a glimmer of truth in this ideal for track and field. It would be a tragic loss to allow the door of opportunity slam shut on these vital pathways that have set countless athletes on their journey to higher education.
- The analysis reveals that track and field, widely recognized as America's most inclusive and affordable youth sport, serves as a crucial gateway for educating a diverse group of students, especially from underrepresented racial and socio-economic backgrounds.
- In the realm of education and self-development, sporting opportunities like track and field foster social mobility by providing avenues for students to leverage their talents in sports to secure college scholarships, thereby enhancing the potential for self-improvement and academic success.
