Los Medanos College has recently put into effect the newly proposed Student Athlete Bi-weekly Report.
The progress report is meant to help coaches keep track of their athletes progress and to push athletes to keep up with their schoolwork. “As a part of it, there will be tutoring sessions,” said Interim Dean of Liberal Arts and Sciences A’kilah Moore.
Three parties put the bi-weekly report together. The Athletics departments, EOPS, and Umoja all got together to propose this idea
There are some requirements that have to be met by athletes in order for them to be eligible for their sport. In order to be eligible, a student must be continuously and actively enrolled in 12 units said Athletic Director Richard Villegas in an academic senate meeting. However, those 12 units can’t just be in just any class.
“At least nine shall be counted toward an A.A. degree or transferable units,” said Villegas. Also according to Villegas, an athlete must have a student educational plan to be eligible.
“The program applies to all sports, rather than any single ones” said Villegas, while Head Football Coach Chris Shipe added that it applies to all student athletes, not just the ones in season.
Many are in favor for this progress report as they feel it will help the student athletes. “I think it is a good idea, because it should keep the student athletes on track academically and will let their coaches know how they are doing,” said counselor Shirley Baskin.
This report will help make LMC a more academic environment and help weed out those who enroll in classes but never actually go. A lot of people come to schools just to play sports not for an education so “I like that athletes are given a responsibility,” said LMC first basemen Wyatt Foreman.
Shipe is happy for this new program and can’t wait to see the effects of it. “I appreciate admin getting involved,” said Shipe. “It’s a great opportunity to see how student athletes are doing academically.”
This is meant strictly to be the athlete’s responsibility and coaches should not be contacting professors and visa-versa said Villegas.
As for consequences, there hasn’t been much said about punishment if a student athlete doesn’t meet requirements, and as of now punishments and consequences differ from each coach.
“We are still working on the consequences if athletes do not meet the requirements,” added Moore.
The Student Athlete Bi-weekly Report is being piloted and there are still kinks to work out.
