As reported by ESPN.com, a national spotlight will shine on collegiate athletics this weekend as the 2024 football season has reached its conference championship schedule. Within the past few years, there has been a great focus on supporting the needs of student-athletes. A 2024 study in the Journal of Sport Psychology in Action reported that there are over 520,000 students who participate in college sports, and that these college students experience high demands and challenges that are unique to other students. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) also released a 2024 report indicating the need to prioritize the mental health needs of student-athletes.
Unfortunately, some colleges and universities fail to acknowledge the distinction between college students who are competitive student-athletes from college students who are performing student-athletes. College students who are competitive student-athletes are the focus of the NCAA and represent the official definition of the term student-athletes. However, there are students all over campus who use their athletic skills to perform on behalf of colleges and universities. Examples include college students in the dance department, college students who are cheerleaders/spirit squad members, and even some college students who artists and musicians. Some schools have started giving college students who are competitive student-athletes the same benefits as those given to college students who are performing student-athletes. A 2024 report on 2adays.com (a website focused on recruiting for student-athletes) outlined how Vassar and Ithaca College are giving college students who are competitive athletes course credit for playing their sport. This aligns with the notion that if some college students get course credit for dance and theatre programs, then offering course credit for competitive athletics should be a part of the liberal arts experience, and doing so will likely ease the academic barriers toward graduation.
On most campuses, college students who competitive student-athletes and college students who are performing student-athletes have vastly different resources, even though they have similar needs. Specifically, college students who are performing student-athletes also have high needs regarding physical performance, mental health functioning, and academic support.
Physical Performance
Many schools ensure that competitive student-athletes have the resources to optimize their physical performance. This can range from sports nutrition, strength and conditioning coaches, and athletic trainers. Furthermore, in most instances, if a student gets injured while playing their sport, the university will cover the expenses for treatment. However, this is usually not the case for performing student-athletes. If a student in the dance department gets injured during rehearsal, it’s not uncommon for this student to pay out-of-pocket, or use their own health insurance, to cover the cost of treatment. In addition, unlike athletic programs, most fine arts departments don’t have nutritionists or full-time trainers on staff.
Mental Health Functioning
A 2023 report by the NCAA indicated that mental health concerns among competitive student-athletes have decreased since the height of the global pandemic but were still significant. For example, 44% of women’s sports participants reported feeling overwhelmed and 35% reported mentally exhausted. In addition, the performances of competitive student-athletes can become hindered by anxiety and personal stressors, which can be especially distressing for them. Thus, it’s not uncommon for athletic departments to have sports psychologists, counselors, and/or formal liaisons with campus counseling centers. However, performing student-athletes are often viewed the same as non-student athletes and usually don’t have such services designed specifically for them.
Academic Support
It’s not uncommon for colleges and universities to have specific academic support programs dedicated to competitive student-athletes. For example, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) has an academic support program for competitive student-athletes that includes study lounges, over 90 tutors, exam proctoring, and even career exploration. However, this program is designed for athletes who participate in a competitive sport. Furthermore, it’s also common for competitive student-athletes to receive early registration for classes and academic advising to help accommodate their travel schedules. However, performing student-athletes with the same travel schedules, such as cheerleaders not on a competitive spirit squad team, don’t always get these supports.
In 2023, UNC launched a campaign entitled, “Artists are Athletes/Athletes are Artists.” The purpose was to demonstrate the parallels between the school’s prestigious athletic programs and its well-known dance company. The sentiment of this campaign is still true, college students who are competitive athletes and college students who are performing athletes have similar needs and will benefit from similar resources.
