Slightly OT: VU lacrosse player writes 'a letter to college sports'

[BrentVU]

Cailin Bracken, a lacrosse player for Vanderbilt, shares this beautifully written piece on several outlets titled, "A letter to college sports." It is heartfelt and thought-provoking; I share it as a very good thing for fans on message boards to read too... we who are sometimes so quick to criticize when athletes don't measure up to our expectations.

Cailin Bracken: A letter to college sports
https://www.usalaxmagazine.com/college/ ... ege-sports

[abvandy]

Wow .... thanks for posting this. Well worth reading, and remembering.

CONQUER!!..., and PREVAIL!!!

[AuricGoldfinger]

At a time when many college students are already struggling mentally due to the unique pressures and challenges of the last two years, it's helpful to remember that student athletes face even more stress.

[Lynchsr]

Thank you for sharing! This is a must read for us fans next time we want to criticize the player for mistake

[LawoftheWest]

What a mature student!!!! She writes from her heart. Well worth reading to feel the pressures that student athletes face. Even students who are not athletes face many of the same pressures, but generally not as extreme.

During my time in college I could never have written a piece so engaging and heartfelt as she writes. Brava to her.

[OldDude]

Geez, how profound for such a young lady. In remembering my jerky self at this age, I am in awe of young people such as this.

[charlestonalum]

Required reading! Brilliant insight generously offered to benefit all.

[FayetteDore]

Every word in that piece is worth reading and thinking about.

Here are two of her thoughts that particularly stand out for me:

But sometimes the worst part of all of this is that it feels like the people in your life — namely, the adults — aren’t thinking about you at all. They’re thinking about the result that you create: the wins or the losses.

The message there for fans, on message boards and in the stands, is clear: maybe think twice before coming on here and blasting players.

I say it because I want coaches to look at players like humans rather than commodities. I want athletic administrations to recognize that the pressure, the time and the energy that they impose on these young adults is intolerable. It is unsustainable to expect both perfection and consistency out of any human being, but it is especially egregious to make student athletes question their worth because they have not lived up to unrealistic standards.

IMHO, THIS is going to get worse. With the portal and the rest of the current college athletics environment, when college coaches are paid 7-figure salaries -- and contracts with huge bonuses per win, for reaching bowls, playoffs and championships, even the most compassionate coaches are going to make sometimes unreasonable demands.

Maybe this excellent piece should be pinned atop all the forums.

[baseball1234]

"Maybe this excellent piece should be pinned atop all the forums"

AMEN

[charlestonalum]

Every word in that piece is worth reading and thinking about.



I say it because I want coaches to look at players like humans rather than commodities. I want athletic administrations to recognize that the pressure, the time and the energy that they impose on these young adults is intolerable. It is unsustainable to expect both perfection and consistency out of any human being, but it is especially egregious to make student athletes question their worth because they have not lived up to unrealistic standards.

IMHO, THIS is going to get worse. With the portal and the rest of the current college athletics environment, when college coaches are paid 7-figure salaries -- and contracts with huge bonuses per win, for reaching bowls, playoffs and championships, even the most compassionate coaches are going to make sometimes unreasonable demands.

And just think about those "fans" who put their money into NIL funds demanding that they get their money's worth from the athletes who got their money.

[charlestonalum]

Our daughter who ran cross country at VU and herself had issues with mental health sent this link that is short but to the same point - it is hard for these athletes to deal with these problems

[BrentVU]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DkdjTmgjns&ab_channel=VanderbiltAthletics

[dore74]

amen lady!!!!

[Dore2Dore]

This made national news on Good Morning America this am; complimentary of Vandy & especially the Lacrosse coach for understanding & assistance