Does Athletics Undermine Academics? Examining Some Issues

Abstract

The article argues that intercollegiate athletics and academics do not run afoul of each other. The author defies criticisms that look at the sports-academics relationship otherwise, such as assumptions linking intercollegiate sports to disengagement to critical thinking and deterioration of academic performance. In response, the author demonstrates how sports help fulfill moral goals and educational objectives of academic institutions. This paper concludes by proposing a course of research that looks closer to the relationship between academics and intercollegiate athletics.