Are college athletes kids?

[Goo]

I've heard coaches refer to Players as "kids" casually, but the Baylor thread when coaches upset that "grown man" treating "kids" poorly just made me wonder. I know alot of TCU players such as Schobel were fathers while on the team. Heck, the BYU team averages about 24 years old. On the other hand, some 18 yearold leaving home first time is a "kid." Thoughts? Kids or Grown Men?

 

[tcujsauce]

Grown Kids.

 

[Trelvis]

Young Adults

 

[geefrogs]

BYU - adults.

the rest of the NCAA - young adults.

 

[mrnicefrog]

Yes.

At 18-22 years of age you are VERY impressionable and don't know how to interact with adults yet.

 

[BoydAveFrogFan]

Yes.

At 18-22 years of age you are VERY impressionable and don't know how to interact with adults yet.

But are able to defend our country and and decide if someone lives or dies on the battlefield

 

[audiofrog]

College freshman, athletes or not are most definitely still kids, for most it's their first time living on their own, learning to balance their time and money. I'm thinking athletes in some ways may be less ready for college than others. I assume most if not all freshman were the best athletes at their schools, on their middle school teams, pee wee teams. Now they are thrust into a new situation with players all equally talented and many 3-5 years older, and with completely different expectations. It's one thing to be the star athlete at say a 3A-4A high school where everyone in town loves you but now you are responsible for the happiness of a bunch of alumni, boosters and rabid fans. I think we (TCU fans) do a good job of treating our players well, but imagine going from high school to say Michigan or Ohio State or Tennesee and their numerous numerous crazed fans. The Upperclassmen may be a different story but the Freshman definitely are still kids. If you gave any doubts just go check out the last game of any high school teams season. They look big and strong with all the pads and helmets on, but look at their faces after the final whistle when they take their helmets off you see a bunch of 18 year old kids in grown mens bodies
I agree with the posters above who mentioned that it's one thing to have fun with the other fans and alumni but yet to respect the players who just plated their tails off. A lot of them are still kids. Wait till they get to the NFL to start razzing them

 

[Stiff Arm Frog]

Some are men, some are kids.

Bottom line is, you shouldn't heckle them like our fans did in that video. If you wouldn't taunt someone when you see them walking down the street, how is it okay to do it to them when they're on tv and can't retaliate? Taunting is cowardly.

 

[Goo]

This diacussion is not about taunting/razzing/etc..... It is simply asking at what point does sOmeone move from boy to man. Obviously a grey area.

 

[jake102]

But are able to defend our country and and decide if someone lives or dies on the battlefield

+1 and much more

At 18 you are able to defend more than yourself, and should be treated as such. To say it's such a shame to heckle 18 year olds is a joke. Heckling is stupid at all ages in my opinion, but you are easily able to handle it.

The Baylor thread is a great example of why parents call professors about grades and the term helicopter parent applies to 75% of parents of college kids these days.

 

[stell91]

This diacussion is not about taunting/razzing/etc..... It is simply asking at what point does sOmeone move from boy to man. Obviously a grey area.

I think in a lot of peoples minds, whether it's right or wrong, a player becomes a "man" when they start getting paid.

Most college athletes won't play professionally and are just playing for the love of the game. They're "kids" because for college athletes their sport is really nothing more than an extra-curricular activity that they love. Sure it brings in huge amounts of money and publicity for the school but the players don't get any of that. To me players are only "kids" as long as they're amateurs.

 

[ChemicalArts]

...
The Baylor thread is a great example of why parents call professors about grades and the term helicopter parent applies to 75% of parents of college kids these days.

As a college professor, I can tell you that federal law (FERPA) prohibits us from talking with anyone (outside of relevant college personnel) about any aspect about a student's progress or enrollment in my classes. This includes parents. Most profs I know use this as a firewall against prying parents.

 

[WIN]

But are able to defend our country and and decide if someone lives or dies on the battlefield

and enter a court of law as an adult.

 

[Deep Purple]

But are able to defend our country and and decide if someone lives or dies on the battlefield

Under the direction of noncoms and officers who are always older and have more practical knowledge gained from life experience.

Young ≠ dumb.

But young does = inexperienced.

Having said that, there's still a huge difference between ages 18 and 22. No matter what the law says, 18-year-olds are still kids. But 22-year-olds are at least quasi-adults. Many of them (particularly females, who mature earlier) are fully adults.

 

[LVfrog]

Age, itself, doesn't make someone an adult. Do I think of freshmen as kids, yes, but they are old enough to know what is right and, therefore, subject to accountability. I agree that young doesn't equate to being dumb, but not all kids mature at the same time and must be given some leeway as to that process.

 

[NubomTurk]

I think in a lot of peoples minds, whether it's right or wrong, a player becomes a "man" when they start getting paid.

95% correct.

Legal definitions aside, I think most people agree that you become an adult when you become self-supporting.

It is left as an exercise for the student to define "self-supporting" in the terms of athletic scholarships.

 

[oldscribe]

I've known 40-year-olds who were still kids. And 18-year-olds who were adults.

 

[FeistyFrog]

We are all big kids.

 

[weklfrog]

The human brain continues to develop and mature until the early 20s and even so, areas controlling emotions and decision making continue to mature until the mid 20s.

 

[NubomTurk]

We are all big kids.

Well, if you want to go in that direction, anyone who thinks that fart jokes are always funny is still a kid. I'm guessing that this group includes all male participants on KillerFrogs (and probably QuilterFrog, too; she seems pretty cool.)

I was going to say, "...includes all male members of KillerFrogs..." but thought better of it. Q.E.D.