Multiple stories in the Dallas Morning News last week caught my attention. They involved athletes who had a difficult time adjusting to life after high school. I guess it is a problem that spans generation. Johnny Johnson was a star athlete at Dallas Samuel High School in the 1960's. Basketball and baseball were mere aversions, Johnny was a football player. He could have played running back for most major universities but because of grades he ended up at a junior college. After two successful years, he transferred to Wichita State but there things turned sour. There was a recruiting scandal and he was involved. In the end he ended up returning to south Dallas. He was easy prey for the drug dealers that were part of that culture. He ended up in prison, and only decades later was he able to rebuild his life in another state.
The other stories involve a current players. Two years ago Devonte Fields was a freshman star as a defensive end for the TCU Horned Frogs. He spent last year on the sidelines injured. He also had time on his hands and ended up getting in trouble with the law. This year was supposed to be his triumphant return, he was the pre-season pick to be The Big 12 defensive player of the year. All that was put on hold when he was accused of assaulting his ex-girl friend. He was quickly suspended as the situation is resolved. All of this comes on the heels of the University of Texas kicking no less than five players off their roster for various violations of school policy.
I recall a high school classmate, who shall remain nameless, who was a pretty good athlete. He was also not much of a student. There is probably one in every class; a smooth talker who could manipulate others and usually skirts the rules. A big deal was made about the fact that he had been recruited to play college football, but he didn't last a year. The rumor was that decisions off the field that led to his dismissal.
It was an issue that I had to deal with professionally, especially during my years as a high school counselor. There was a least one over-achiever in every class and they were not always athletes. Our goals as a faculty was to acknowledge their accomplishments but keep them grounded. We also made sure they were held to the same rules. Those of us in the counseling office also worked hard to make sure they were focusing on the future. Helping them set goals and plan for college was a vital. I am proud to say that most of our star athletes have been successful in the real world.
Those of us who are adults need to take care that we don't put our young people on pedestals. When that happens, it is easy for them to hit their peak in high school. They go off to college thinking they have it made, expecting to be stars and to receive all the attention and special privileges stars deserve. The second thing is to help them stay grounded, holding them to the same expectations as we do other students. Lastly, it means helping them focus on the future, using their high school experience to reach for higher goals, even if it isn't on the athletic field.
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