It is time for kids to be able to major in Basketball

[Gabjon]

Or more precisely in coaching with a specialty in basketball or football, tennis, etc. You wouldn't have to be an athlete to major in coaching. Students would take psychology, ethics, public speaking, and sociology course as a base program. Then go into X's and O's of their specialty and finally business courses focusing the economics behind the sport of their choosing. There should be courses designed around being a professional athlete and what that means. Why many athletes go broke after their playing days are over and how to prevent this. But more importantly how to shape their careers in the sport they love after their playing days are over.

Coaching is a real business that requires study and it would engage and educate kids in their chosen career path. This is what our colleges and universities are here for, forcing kids out of school for not going to fencing class or any class that kids are taking just to stay eligible is silly and does not prepare kids for life.

 

[General20]

That will only happen if the top teams align with one another and break away from the NCAA.

It makes no sense to have guys like Melo and Waiters who are using college as an NBA minor league to be forced to take classes that will never help them. They should be able to take classes like Free Throw Shooting 101, and How to Deal with the Media.

On the other hand, it makes no sense for schools like Niagra to have a basketball major and there are three schools like that in the NCAA for every one Syracuse. That is why the big time NBA and NFL minor league schools need to break away and start treating their athletic departments like what they are.

 

[Capt. Tuttle]

Or more precisely in coaching with a specialty in basketball or football, tennis, etc. You wouldn't have to be an athlete to major in coaching. Students would take psychology, ethics, public speaking, and sociology course as a base program. Then go into X's and O's of their specialty and finally business courses focusing the economics behind the sport of their choosing. There should be courses designed around being a professional athlete and what that means. Why many athletes go broke after their playing days are over and how to prevent this. But more importantly how to shape their careers in the sport they love after their playing days are over.

Coaching is a real business that requires study and it would engage and educate kids in their chosen career path. This is what our colleges and universities are here for, forcing kids out of school for not going to fencing class or any class that kids are taking just to stay eligible is silly and does not prepare kids for life.

You could do that within an education program

Sent from my Vortex using Tapatalk 2

 

[rrlbees]

You could do that within an education program

Sent from my Vortex using Tapatalk 2

Some schools do have a similar program.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[sufandu]

Or more precisely in coaching with a specialty in basketball or football, tennis, etc. You wouldn't have to be an athlete to major in coaching. Students would take psychology, ethics, public speaking, and sociology course as a base program. Then go into X's and O's of their specialty and finally business courses focusing the economics behind the sport of their choosing. There should be courses designed around being a professional athlete and what that means. Why many athletes go broke after their playing days are over and how to prevent this. But more importantly how to shape their careers in the sport they love after their playing days are over.

Coaching is a real business that requires study and it would engage and educate kids in their chosen career path. This is what our colleges and universities are here for, forcing kids out of school for not going to fencing class or any class that kids are taking just to stay eligible is silly and does not prepare kids for life.

Some schools already have coaching minors. SUNY Oswego had one when I went there in the late '90's. I don't think I could justify making it a major (although I must admit there are a number of majors that already exist that are no more legit than coaching would be). Really, the best way to get into it would probably be to just do it as an assistant (maybe start out as a volunteer) under an experienced respected coach.

 

[PoppyHart]

There are only 2-3 decent sports management programs, whereby students actually obtain jobs/internships with their degree. And two of them, UMASS and Ohio U., are hardly bastions of sporting excellence.

Schools may choose to offer a program centered around coaching, but it would have to be done on a very, very, selectively basis in order to comport with supply and demand.

 

[rrlbees]

There are only 2-3 decent sports management programs, whereby students actually obtain jobs/internships with their degree. And two of them, UMASS and Ohio U., are hardly bastions of sporting excellence.

You don't think SU's sports management program is one of them?

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[BillJay]

Some schools do have a similar program.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

Yup, a lot of schools have physical education as a specialization within their secondary education departments. A potential problem is that it's not the easy major some would think. If someone can handle the academics then he/she could handle the academics in many other majors.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 

[cto]

With some creativity, I think it could be a major within a sports management program (such as is offered by SU and many other schools).

 

[SWFLCUSE]

Or more precisely in coaching with a specialty in basketball or football, tennis, etc. You wouldn't have to be an athlete to major in coaching. Students would take psychology, ethics, public speaking, and sociology course as a base program. Then go into X's and O's of their specialty and finally business courses focusing the economics behind the sport of their choosing. There should be courses designed around being a professional athlete and what that means. Why many athletes go broke after their playing days are over and how to prevent this. But more importantly how to shape their careers in the sport they love after their playing days are over.

Coaching is a real business that requires study and it would engage and educate kids in their chosen career path. This is what our colleges and universities are here for, forcing kids out of school for not going to fencing class or any class that kids are taking just to stay eligible is silly and does not prepare kids for life.

As someone who is an aspiring coach in college, I would love this!!!!

 

[PoppyHart]

You don't think SU's sports management program is one of them?

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

Personally, I think there is little to be gained from a sports management degree vis-a-vis a general business degree.

The value, in my view, of the school and the sports management program specifically, is the alumni network and its contacts. There is perhaps no industry that is more insular, nepotistic, and competitive as the sports field, and the ability to navigate the 'ol boys networks is critical. Schools with established programs and networks are far more beneficial than a comparable program at a "name" school that doesn't have the network.

Does SU have a bunch of alumni in front office capacities, or high level execs? I'm aware of Falk, but I guess I'm not very familiar with their program's success stories outside of the broadcast/journalism realm, which is really a separate discipline.

 

[Orangezoo]

i think you could easily match it to the sports management program as a leadership degree. one of the biggest weaknesses in the world right now is the absence of good leaders. i sit amongst my peers and superiors in awe in how self absorbed they are despite the fact they have at times hundreds of people who are at the mercy of their decisions and sometimes their guidance. athletes are immediately a public figure.. allowing them to merge their status with a healthy and relevant major would be great. it would also be a good selling point for athletes that leave early to come back to get their degree.

 

[Orangezoo]

Personally, I think there is little to be gained from a sports management degree vis-a-vis a general business degree.

The value, in my view, of the school and the sports management program specifically, is the alumni network and its contacts. There is perhaps no industry that is more insular, nepotistic, and competitive as the sports field, and the ability to navigate the 'ol boys networks is critical. Schools with established programs and networks are far more beneficial than a comparable program at a "name" school that doesn't have the network.

Does SU have a bunch of alumni in front office capacities, or high level execs? I'm aware of Falk, but I guess I'm not very familiar with their program's success stories outside of the broadcast/journalism realm, which is really a separate discipline.

poppy- i think you need to broaden your scope of though here. sports management is a connection between business and sports. with a focus on something like leadership, you can make that much more relevant in the corporate world . there are far too many ignorant fools with mbas from wharton who cant help their own spouses set the table let alone guide a department of 20 people to perform up to their potential and design a process model that integrates the human element.

 

[Gabjon]

Should it be under sports management or education? The answer is both imo and the fact is there are hundreds of thousands of coaches in this country and very few of them are good in all aspects of "coaching". Youth coaches have as much influence on our children as teachers do, but teachers need a certain level of education that coaches do not, but we probably have all witnessed bad coaching whether it is improper word usage, drills and exercises being done improperly or even dangerously, or just lacking the ability to interact/communicate with kids. Several of our walk-ons want to be coaches and I don't believe they all want to coach in college or the NBA but regardless most of them start out working with kids. Why shouldn't major in it? AAU is a prime example of the need for education in coaching. Literally if you have the application fee and no felonies on your record you can start a AAU team that travels all over the country with 12 and 13 yr old children. Being "good person" should be enough just like it is not enough to be a teacher.

 

[Orangezoo]

i agree it should be both- a joint school degree

 

[Henny & Coke]

The Fabricio De Melo School of Basketball at Syracuse University​

Come and enroll in the Fabricio De Melo School of Basketball at Syracuse University, where young men come to be trained in the skills necessary to best prepare them for gaining employment in their chosen profession, which in this case is professional basketball, and living the life that accompanies it. If your career ambition is to play basketball professionally, either in the NBA, oversees in Europe, or playing for the Harlem Globetrotters, a degree from the Fabricio De Melo School of Basketball will prepare you for employment in the basketball profession and beyond.

Classes offered include:
Basketball – Basic fundamentals
Basketball – History of the game
Offense – Commonly employed offensive strategies including the Triangle Offense (or triple-post offense), ball screen / pick and roll Offense, Dribble Drive Offense, High Low Offense, Motion Offense against Zone, Carolina Fast Break Offense, ect.
Defense – Commonly employed defensive strategies including the Man to Man Defense, Various types of Zone Defenses, Press Defense, Box and One Defense, Jordan Rules, Hack a Shaq, ect.
Developing & Refining Basketball IQ
Picking the right Sports Agent to partner with
Strategies on dealing with the Media
The advantages and disadvantages of using Social Media
Building your Brand
Public Relations Crises Management
Knowing when to leave school for employment and maximize your earning potential
Pros & Cons – the NBA vs Europe vs Other
Tips and advice on gaining employment in NBA
Avoiding the pitfalls that could result in termination of employment including gambling, drug use, steroids, ect.
Gaining endorsement opportunities
Ingratiating yourself with the hometown fans
Basic Financial Investment Strategies
Picking the right Financial Advisor
Employing the best tax strategies to keep your money
How to set up a charity to help a cause you are passionate about
Avoiding family conflicts that may arise from the announcement of a big contract
Prenuptial Agreements – the basics
Specialty Skills to master for continued employment including rebounding, tough defense, three-point shooting
Preparing for life after basketball

I could go on, thinking of even more ideas for courses that could be offered by an institute of higher learning to help prepare an athlete for gainful employment in their chosen profession (weight-training, teamwork, eating healthy, alternative medicine advancements, transitioning to a career in coaching, ect)…in this case, basketball. Why is it that colleges do not offer such degree opportunities?

If the reason is that so few college basketball players make it to the NBA…then I would argue that many more will attempt to play in Europe or somewhere for a paycheck. And who is to judge what is a worthwhile enough endeavor such that a degree can be offered for higher learning? Colleges will gladly accept students into an Entrepreneurship Program, where they are taught how to open and run their own business, even though a good majority of those who graduate with such a degree may never actually open a business in their lifetime. Doesn’t mean those skills that were learned are somehow “wasted”, does it?

The sooner we all get real as to why these athletes attend college (and why they are recruited so heavily to do so), the sooner we can begin to really educate these athletes to best prepare them for achieving their life-long goal of playing basketball professionally and navigating the challenges that come with that lifestyle.
And the sooner that happens, the sooner I can stop getting mad at everyone else (Fab Melo, Jim Boeheim, Mike Hopkins, student managers & academic tutors, ect) when a situation like Fab Melo’s occurs, when, in actuality, I should be mad at this lame charade we continue to support… a make-believe fantasy in which young men chasing a dream to get paid to do what they love in life (basketball) are obligated to act like they are on campus for anything but.

 

[BlackKnight76]

I've thought for a while now that something like this would be great. It would also probably be a boon for recruiting, and it may actually get athletes who otherwise wouldn't care to be engaged in their academic work. Have classes in Falk, Whitman, Newhouse, Education depending on how they want to focus it, it could be a great program.