<p>My daughter was invited to be a part of the cheer squad for the away football games. She got the schedule this week and they are leaving Friday morning for a Saturday evening game that is in a city that is about three hours away. She will miss 4 classes. She is going to check with the coach tomorrow to be sure that it wasn't a typo but I happened to talk with another friend who said it wasn't uncommon for the football team at a division 1 school to leave 1 or 2 days before the games and the cheer squad would be traveling with them likely. This seems absurd to me. Any thoughts from other parents on how their child has coped with missing classes or ways around it so they don't miss classes.</p>
<p>I’m guessing the coaches make sure the professors are aware of this so the athletes’ grades won’t suffer.</p>
<p>I don’t think she is worried about the professors not understanding, she just hates to miss so many classes when the game isn’t even until the next day. What do they do with all this time? They will get to the other city about 29 hours before the game even starts.</p>
<p>The coaches should provide letters for the professors. There may also be a student-athlete resource center with study halls and tutoring available to help student-athletes make the most of their limited time.</p>
<p>The team wants to make sure that they are settled in, well rested, acclimated, etc. Spending three hours on a bus the day of the game is not considered a great way to be 100%, and these schools take football very seriously. Imagine the school losing a game that would have qualified them for a bowl (with the revenue that goes with that) because the players were not feeling well after eating lunch on a long bus trip with their muscles cramped up and then the bus got delayed and they were almost late. </p>
<p>I was in a non-revenue sport that nobody cared about and we always did travel the day before. We’d practice at the facility to familiarize ourselves with it and have time to be prepared and focused.</p>
<p>I don’t think this is unusual.</p>
<p>I rarely participate in any athlete in college type of discussion. But in this case, I will say that your daughter needs to decide the reason she is in college - to get an education or pursue her EC. I know some schools make special provisions for their athletes - special tutors, extension for tests/papers, designated classes for athletes. The question is if your D would be getting similar considerations and if that’s what she wants. I know with my own kids, they really couldn’t afford to miss too many classes without having it impact their performance in class.</p>
<p>This is my opinion, my kids go to college to get an education, everything else is secondary.</p>
<p>The athletes may have had scheduling priority and advice from their coaches to schedule classes to minimize conflicts with the expected sports schedule (for football, minimize classes on fridays, take easier classes during fall and harder classes in other terms, etc.).</p>
<p>Note that this situation is one where quarter versus semester system can matter. For football, going to school on the quarter system means that football season overlaps with 1/3 of the academic year instead of 1/2 of the academic year. So football players and others who may travel with the team (cheer squad) may find the quarter system more favorable in reducing conflict with academics.</p>
<p>^^ It’s the student’s responsibility to notify the professor, not the coach’s. Frankly, athletes missing classes/exams, etc often puts the professor in a tough spot, and creates pressure for the student, too. This is why some parents who were student athletes themselves, discourage their kids from doing the same.</p>
<p>Oldfort, that was our feeling as well and I believe it is hers. She does not wish to miss this many classes. She is taking a very rigorous schedule and will be way behind if she misses all these lectures. She is going to talk to the coach tomorrow to see what her options are. I told her to ask if she could drive there on her own either after class or the next morning. It is after all only a three hour drive and she has a car with her on campus. I think it would be different if she was on a football scholarship but she is not.</p>
<p>Does she have a chance of getting a cheer scholarship (and would she want/need one)?</p>
<p>ucbalumnus, the athletes may have had scheduling priority but she only tried out and made the cheer team at the very end of last semester well after her schedule was already made. I guess if she had realized how early they would be leaving for games she may have tried to modify her schedule but at this point I am not sure if that is a realistic option.</p>
<p>I don’t know what your D wants to do after college, but GPA matters for most “life after college,” but her cheerleading will be “how nice.” I almost believe all athletes should be paid because it is a job in itself and they do generate a lot of revenue for the school. If your D is not getting paid then she needs to do what’s best for her.</p>
<p>My niece (a D1 volleyball player) had the lectures taped and got notes from friends.</p>
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Don’t NCAA Div 1 schools overall lose a bunch of money every year?</p>
<p>They may not make money by ticket sales, but they may get a lot of alumni donation because of sports.</p>
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<p>The big time football and basketball programs (which people tend to think as being the most scandalous in terms of academic and other issues relating to the student-athletes) may turn a profit, but the cost of every other intercollegiate athletic program typically uses up that profit and more, resulting in a net loss for the whole athletic department. Of course, small time football and basketball programs are more likely to be money losers as well.</p>
<p>From the inside of a D1 program, they will arrive on Friday go to the stadium do a walk through practice (no pads) meetings at the hotels, team dinner, strict curfew. Game day - prep for game, what happens depends on kick off time. The Extended travel time is for the football teams benefit, they very much have a routine for away games and they actually need that time on Friday. The walk through practice is important.</p>
<p>Aubs1126, that is very helpful and I can see why the football team needs to go early. Based on your experience, what is the cheer team doing at this time if they travel with the team at your school?</p>
<p>I honestly have no idea, I only know it from the football side. Also keep in mind if they play an away game around Thanksgiving it could impact her ability to come home depending on dates and travel location.</p>
<p>If that were the case we would probably travel to see her cheer at Thanksgiving.</p>