‘Cleaning Up Sports System’

In the editorial, the author makes some very valid points about the NCAA regulations concerning academic eligibility and financial aid for college athletes. One of the points, however, must be strongly condemned--that of totally eliminating freshman eligibility. If the goal of the NCAA is to protect the interest of “student-athletes,” that is the worst move it could make.

For four years at Caltech, I participated in college sports, water polo, baseball, and swimming. I also managed to finish my education in less than four full years. I would guess that this is what is meant by student-athlete. During my first year at Caltech, one of the only things that kept me going was the participation in sports, and the camaraderie the team members shared. We learned much earlier than most to schedule our time around sports, and to schedule our sporting activities around our studies. For many of us, we did better because of our commitment to athletics.

Granted, Caltech does not have the big-time athletic program that was being referred to in the editorial, but it is the kind of program that would most drastically be affected by eliminating freshman eligibility. I hope that the NCAA does not institute such a misguided idea in the near future.

DAVID BRUNING

San Diego