2008 Woodie Awards
Denouncing sports
Aaron Albro
Issue date: 2/23/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
The University of Puget Sound is probably best known for the fact that it shares an acronym with a relatively popular package delivery service. But only slightly less well known is the fact that the student athletes at UPS (not the brown one, the maroon one) are the be all and end all of athletic specimens. Right?
Oops, I was being sarcastic. I hate it when that happens. Now, let me explain.
It seems unusual to me that some students at this school seems to hold on to ideas they acquired from the high school society handbook; i.e. that athletes/jocks are somehow inherently better than the rest of the population.
It also plagues me that these individuals chose to come to a private liberal arts school better known for its academic reputation than its ability to turn out the next set of Olympians every graduating class. Yet they applied. And even more surprising, they were accepted.
The merits of UPS students aside, the point is that athletes at this school need to recognize their place. Yes, they are athletes. Good for them. They should be commended for their dedication to athleticism.
However, they are not better than me. In fact, they are not better than anyone here. And moreover, they are not the best athletes around.
You see, UPS is a Division III school. This means that there are two divisions above us that draw the more talented athletes. Schools that can afford to give athletic scholarships, for example.
So, to all the UPS athletes that think they're the s**t because of their athletic ability, I pose this question: why in God's name are you at UPS?
If they were really so talented, what stopped them from going to UW, or the UC schools? If their sport is really that important to them, why wouldn't they attempt to find an environment that is conducive to their interests?
Granted, I probably wouldn't have swum or rowed if I had gone to a D-I or D-II school, but that was because I was specifically looking for the athletic environment that UPS provides. Here, my level of dedication to my sports can be balanced effectively with my desire to progress academically.
Yes, some of the otherwise stereotypical jocks are in fact brilliant. But the fact of the matter is that these individuals must choose which path they wish to follow.
If you want to be a professional athlete, great. Do it. Do it well. I hope you accomplish great things.
But UPS is not the guide for that path. UPS is a private liberal arts university focused on the academic advancement of its students. This is not the place to be if you want to define yourself through your athleticism.
In all reality this is a plea to those students that feel they are better than me because they're on whatever sports team here. Please get over yourself.
• Aaron Albro is a brave, brave man.
Oops, I was being sarcastic. I hate it when that happens. Now, let me explain.
It seems unusual to me that some students at this school seems to hold on to ideas they acquired from the high school society handbook; i.e. that athletes/jocks are somehow inherently better than the rest of the population.
It also plagues me that these individuals chose to come to a private liberal arts school better known for its academic reputation than its ability to turn out the next set of Olympians every graduating class. Yet they applied. And even more surprising, they were accepted.
The merits of UPS students aside, the point is that athletes at this school need to recognize their place. Yes, they are athletes. Good for them. They should be commended for their dedication to athleticism.
However, they are not better than me. In fact, they are not better than anyone here. And moreover, they are not the best athletes around.
You see, UPS is a Division III school. This means that there are two divisions above us that draw the more talented athletes. Schools that can afford to give athletic scholarships, for example.
So, to all the UPS athletes that think they're the s**t because of their athletic ability, I pose this question: why in God's name are you at UPS?
If they were really so talented, what stopped them from going to UW, or the UC schools? If their sport is really that important to them, why wouldn't they attempt to find an environment that is conducive to their interests?
Granted, I probably wouldn't have swum or rowed if I had gone to a D-I or D-II school, but that was because I was specifically looking for the athletic environment that UPS provides. Here, my level of dedication to my sports can be balanced effectively with my desire to progress academically.
Yes, some of the otherwise stereotypical jocks are in fact brilliant. But the fact of the matter is that these individuals must choose which path they wish to follow.
If you want to be a professional athlete, great. Do it. Do it well. I hope you accomplish great things.
But UPS is not the guide for that path. UPS is a private liberal arts university focused on the academic advancement of its students. This is not the place to be if you want to define yourself through your athleticism.
In all reality this is a plea to those students that feel they are better than me because they're on whatever sports team here. Please get over yourself.
• Aaron Albro is a brave, brave man.
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