Co-curricular activities are an important component of a liberal arts education. They teach students lessons about themselves and their relationships with others that can’t be learned from textbooks or lectures. Carleton’s thriving athletics program is an excellent example of this.
As you’d expect, our coaches, athletic administrators, and student-athletes start from the premise that our students are here to be students first and athletes second. Carleton’s athletic opportunities enrich, rather than compromise, our students’ academic experiences and support the emphasis we place on intellectual activity and academic integrity.
Participating in sports also develops and brings to full fruition other important dimensions in our students. They’re already testing themselves intellectually here, so many of them also crave the opportunity to test themselves physically as well. For student-athletes who possess the talent and are willing to commit the time, our varsity and club sports allow them to compete at the highest level. For those who want to test their limits on a more local scale, our intramural teams offer a chance to grow personally and work toward success.
Our student-athletes may compete at different levels, but all of them gain valuable lessons from their experiences. First, they learn what it means to join their energies and talents to contribute to a larger endeavor. Participating in a team sport, like other collaborative activities such as singing in the choir or working on The Carletonian, provides insights, skills, and practice for a world where work often requires teamwork and the ability to collaborate well with others.
Athletics also teaches perseverance in the face of adversity. That’s an enormously important skill to master because, inevitably, we all face setbacks. Understanding that sometimes you win and sometimes you lose—and continuing to forge ahead despite the losses—helps students find satisfaction and pride in their efforts, no matter the outcome.
One of the most enduring lessons I gleaned from my (admittedly rather undistinguished) years playing football and lacrosse was how to understand and respect my own limitations. I learned that there were some things I could never excel at, no matter how hard I tried, and I became more appreciative of the skills that my teammates and opponents had and that I lacked. At the same time, I grew more comfortable in places where my own skills were strong. I learned that each of us has a portfolio of varied abilities, and that is both humbling and reassuring.
There is an ugly side to intercollegiate athletics, and I am glad that Carleton—as a Division III school where scholarship awards are based on academic performance and financial need—has avoided the worst of it. The Game of Life: College Sports and Educational Values, by William Bowen and James Shulman of the Mellon Foundation, was controversial when it came out in 2001, but it affected me and many other educators deeply. We continue to struggle with the problems the authors identified about the ways in which college athletics, when not kept in check behind academic values and priorities, can pull institutions away from their core missions.
Sadly, too many prospective students and their parents believe the easiest way to get into a top college or university is to excel at athletics. That is not how we view matters at Carleton. We do not give varsity coaches admission slots for recruits, and our student-athletes pursue majors and research projects that are just as rigorous as those of their less athletically inclined peers.
I’m proud of our physical education and recreation department and its organic connections to the intellectual life of the college. Our head coaches hold faculty appointments, teach classes that are available to all students, and undergo evaluations that are similar to the tenure process. They take their responsibilities as faculty members very seriously, serving on college committees and representing our community values in the broader world of athletics.
In short, our varsity, club, and intramural athletic programs are helping prepare our students to be healthy and productive citizens. These programs are an essential part of the intellectual, moral, and social character building that a great college delivers.
Finally, let’s never forget the sheer joy that comes from participating in sports—and from cheering on one’s college team!