Need Help With – Student-Athletes, Academics, and Policy Custom Paper Help

Select 2 of the following questions to answer. Pick one question from each group of questions.
Critical thinking must be demonstrated in each answered question.
Group A
1. Should the United States reconsider its approach to combining scholastic education with
athletics? Should students who are not progressing acceptably in academics be barred
from high school athletic competition? What are the advantages being a student-athlete at
the primary or secondary level?
2. Should college coaches be evaluated and compensated in terms of educational goals
(teaching performance) or commercial objectives (wins and losses, money taken at the
gate, or publicity accorded to the team or institution)? Should there be a limit on coaches’
salaries at universities? Should the decision be left to each school? Justify your answer?
3. Based on the course materials, do you believe you can confidently say that playing
competitive sports helps developed good moral character in young people or not? Explain
your answer. What moral lessons have you learned from participating in sport?
Group B
1. List 4 current coaching scandals and explain how each of these scandals hurt the young
people involved, the university and cast a doubt on the integrity of coaches?
2. Discuss recent examples of racism and sport. How can governing bodies, school
administrators, and athletes stop racist behavior at sporting events?
3. Research TIDES Racial and gender report card. Why have some organizations received a
better grade then others? Discuss the initiatives that the top graded organizations are
putting in place to help with gender and racial equality.
4. Research and discuss the various barriers and obstacles that Muslim women face if they
want to participate in sport. How does it differ from country to country?
5. If Caitlin Jenner were to compete in the decathlon today, would she compete in the men’s
competition or the women’s? Research and discuss ways the IOC and other sport
governing bodies can be inclusive of transgender athletes.
Based upon the assigned readings and presentations, you will answer all questions using current
APA formatting (Times New Roman, 12-point font, and double spaced). All answers must be
compiled in a Word document and submitted on the course online platform. Citations from the
assigned reading are required in answering the questions. Each answer must be comprehensive,
with sport related current examples. Each question must be answered with 400–500 words.
Critical thinking must be demonstrated in each answered question. Include a proper APA title
and reference page for each journal.
At least one (1) peer-reviewed reference is required per question (including at least 1 non-
textbook reference per Journal Assignment). Remember to use in-text citations with page
numbers from the required readings and include at least one (1) scripture to support your
statements for each question.
It is important that you spend adequate time on the assignments as you progress through the
course. Write your thoughts out effectively as you complete the reading assignments for each
Module: Week. Do not answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to any of the questions.

Journal 1 — Student-Athletes, Academics, and Policy
(Answer to Group A, Question 1 — ~440 words)

The U.S. should not abandon school-based athletics, but it should recalibrate policy so scholastic learning and sport complement rather than compete with one another. Evidence indicates that participation in organized sport is associated with small to moderate improvements in academic outcomes, attendance, and behavior when programs are appropriately structured and of moderate “dose” (Owen et al., 2022; Eldridge et al., 2014). Thus, blanket exclusion of struggling students from athletics is likely to remove an important protective and motivating context for those students who might benefit most from continued engagement.

A strict “bar them from the team” rule assumes causality (that athletics cause poor grades) and neglects contextual drivers (socioeconomic status, family support, school resources). Systematic review evidence shows sport participation during school hours and in balanced doses is positively associated with academic performance (Owen et al., 2022). Eldridge and colleagues (2014) analyzing large Texas samples reported higher passing rates and fewer disciplinary incidents among athletes compared with non-athletes—findings that point to sport’s potential as an academic and behavioral protective factor rather than an academic distraction.

Advantages of being a student-athlete at primary/secondary levels are multifold: improved school attendance (routine and accountability), time-management skills (balancing training and homework), social integration (peer support networks), and psychosocial benefits (self-efficacy, reduced behavioral infractions) (Eldridge et al., 2014; Pinto-Escalona et al., 2022). Athletic participation also affords opportunities for mentoring and adult supervision, which can bolster academic engagement for at-risk youth. Importantly, evidence suggests dose matters—excessive participation or elite-level time demands can undermine academics, so policies must be nuanced (Owen et al., 2022).

Policy recommendation: replace blanket bans with conditional eligibility that emphasizes academic support. Instead of immediate exclusion, schools could implement “supported eligibility” requiring study halls, tutoring, GPA improvement plans, and monitored progress. This model keeps students connected to beneficial team structures while addressing academic shortcomings. For students whose grades indicate broader challenges, pairing athletic eligibility with remediation (mandatory tutoring, academic contracts, periodic reviews) encourages responsibility and preserves positive sport influences.

From an ethical and community perspective, Proverbs counsels formative guidance: “Start children off on the way they should go…” (New International Version, 2011, Prov. 22:6), which aligns with policies that guide rather than simply punish. In short, athletics should be leveraged as an asset for learning—eligibility rules should be educationally constructive, evidence-informed, and equitable rather than purely punitive.

References (Journal 1)
Eldridge, J. A., Palmer, T. B., Gillis, K., Lloyd, R., Squires, W. G., & Murray, T. D. (2014). Comparison of academic and behavioral performance between athletes and non-athletes. International Journal of Exercise Science, 7(1), 3–13. https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijes/vol7/iss1/2

Owen, K. B., Foley, B. C., Wilhite, K., Booker, B., Lonsdale, C., & Reece, L. J. (2022). Sport participation and academic performance in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 54(2), 299–306. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34559728/

New International Version. (2011). Holy Bible (Prov. 22:6).

Journal 2 — Racism in Sport: Recent Examples and Interventions
(Answer to Group B, Question 2 — ~460 words)

Racism in sport persists across stadiums, locker rooms, and online platforms. Recent examples include pervasive online racial abuse directed at professional footballers (Premier League players received hundreds of abusive tweets daily during 2021–22; Ofcom/Alan Turing analyses), high-profile stadium incidents (fans engaging in monkey chants or targeted taunts), and recurring episodes during international fixtures that have led UEFA/FIFA sanctions and empty-seat penalties (Ofcom/Alan Turing Institute; Kearns et al., 2023). These incidents damage athletes’ mental health, reduce participation, and delegitimize sport’s claims of inclusivity.

Peer-reviewed analyses show that online hate has become a major vector for racial abuse: a scoping review documents growth in research and highlights how social media amplifies and normalizes racist content in sport (Kearns et al., 2023). Hartmann and colleagues (2022) show the interplay between athlete activism, public reception, and the social media environment—demonstrating that top-down statements without structural change have limited effect. The Ofcom/Turing reports (2021 onward) quantify the scale of abuse: tens of thousands of identity-based abusive messages target a relatively small number of players, with Black players disproportionately affected.

Effective prevention requires layered strategies across governing bodies, schools, and athletes. Governing bodies should: (1) adopt and enforce zero-tolerance stadium sanctions (match suspensions, points deductions, stadium closures) and transparent disciplinary processes; (2) partner with social platforms to rapidly identify and remove abusive content and support criminal reporting; and (3) invest in long-term education campaigns for fans and grassroots clubs (Kearns et al., 2023). UEFA and FIFA already use fines and partial stadium closures, but research suggests sanctions must be swifter and combined with fan education and governance diversity to change culture (Hartmann et al., 2022).

School administrators must treat sporting events as learning contexts: implement clear codes of conduct, restorative justice programs following incidents, bystander training for students, and curricula that teach intercultural competence. Early, school-based interventions reduce the normalization of prejudice and prepare young spectators to reject racism (Abel et al., 2024). Athletes and teams also matter: visible, sustained athlete leadership against racism—paired with rigorous institutional backing—changes norms more effectively than one-off statements (Hartmann et al., 2022).

Operationally, practical steps include stadium reporting hotlines and steward training, real-time communication protocols (referee-led match stoppage procedures for racist chants), and platform-level identity verification/suspension for repeat abusers. Importantly, policy must address structural aspects—hiring diversity in leadership, publishing anti-racism audits, and funding community outreach to dismantle the social roots of sporting racism.

Ethically, sport must answer the call to justice: “Act justly and love mercy” (New International Version, 2011, Micah 6:8) — meaning institutions must pair punitive measures with education and systemic change. Combining swift sanctioning, technological cooperation, education, and athlete leadership gives the best chance to reduce racist behavior in sport.

References (Journal 2)
Kearns, C., Sinclair, G., Black, J., Doidge, M., Fletcher, T., Kilvington, D., Liston, K., Lynn, T., & Rosati, P. (2023). A scoping review of research on online hate and sport. Communication & Sport, 11(2), 402–430. https://doi.org/10.1177/21674795221132728

Hartmann, D., Manning, A., & Green, K. (2022). The performance and reception of race-based athletic activism: Toward a critical, dramaturgical theory of sport. American Journal of Cultural Sociology, 10(4), 543–569. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41290-022-00173-2

Ofcom & Alan Turing Institute. (2021). Tracking abuse on Twitter against football players (2021–22 season). https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0026/234457/online-research-tracking-twitter-abuse.pdf

New International Version. (2011). Holy Bible (Micah 6:8).

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