Many people say student athletes should receive compensation according to their specific needs because they spend so much time earning their scholarship and have no time to work. On the other hand, the stronger argument is that college athletes should not receive direct payment from schools for several reasons. It’s my position that college athletes should be considered students first. By receiving direct payment, they would be more similar to employees or professionals than students. College athletes should not forget that their main purpose at school is to learn and study, not to receive money. Peter Higgins, a lacrosse coach at Princeton Day School and a former NCAA athlete, agrees. “College athletes should focus mainly on education,” Higgins says. “Athletics is just an added incentive, which provides them opportunities.” Second, college athletes already receive numerous benefits. Many get scholarships, which help pay for their tuition, supplies, housing, and sporting equipment. According to the NCAA, college athletes often receive grants worth more than $100,000. They also have the benefit of being the first choice for professional leagues, which draft college athletes at a higher rate than they select others. Finally, paying college athletes would take money away from college budgets that could be used to invest in research, to hire better staff, or to renovate facilities and technology.

Links: http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/future/scholarships

http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2018/03/how-to-pay-college-athletes-without-ruining-ncaa-sports.html

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