Are HBCU Sports Well Served Through Offering Second Chances?
Written by HBCU Digest, Posted in Headlines, Sports
Mike Garrett, a former Heisman Trophy winner and long-tenured athletic director at USC is headed to Langston University. He arrives there not through any demonstrated desire to be at an HBCU, but because an HBCU was willing to give him a shot after being disgraced at his alma mater in a firestorm of NCAA violations involving high profile student-athletes.
Seemingly, some black athletes, coaches and executives can only find an HBCU only after being ungraciously asked to leave a predominantly white program, or sitting on the bench. This works out for HBCUs seeking to stockpile talent on the field, in the media or in fundraising for short term success. But over a long-term, can HBCUs benefit from being the second-chance institution?
Are HBCUs well-served to be the sports destinations where you get your life, personal or professional, in order? Or does this damage the potential to attract high-level athletic talent at all?
A better question would be, what is the average student athlete looking for in a college. Many participate in sports with the desire to leap into professional sports. Regardless to how slim the odds are – when choosing a college, potential scholarships and the “belief” that the prospect might be closer to making a professional career out of sports are all factors for many. If HBCU’s do not wish to be perceived as second-chance destinations, or worse, then exploration of their NCAA status and making the transition to Division 1 would be in order. The next question should be how many Division 1 caliber student athletes wind up going to Division 2 (or worse) schools and why….