HBCUs, Play the Game!!
As a prior Student-Athlete who was blessed to Graduate and play Division 1 Baseball at
Bethune-Cookman College (Not University lol) many years ago, it has always been in the black of my mind (pun interned), why are there not more top Black prospect attending HBCUs? Some obvious reasons why I think commits make their decisions to play at the major universities or colleges is, the appearance of the campus, Uniforms, Coaches name attached to program, record, how many athletes have gone pro, and Visibility (crowd and TV exposure). These reasons may seem minuscule to some but to a student-athlete it’s the Holy Grail!! Honestly, who can blame them if you have played at a high school with run down equipment and using the same uniforms from 20yr ago, your done with the pinching pennies teams. You opt the prestige college/university just so you can come home with gear that everyone has seen worn on TV. Or you may be one of the lucky ones that had to get up 3 hours before the garbage company opens to catch 2 bus and then the tri rail to get to your privileged high school, you can’t fathom going to an HBCU where you possible wouldn’t have all the glitz and glamour. However, this is an easy fix, HBCUs need to reach out, not to High School Athletes but to elementary and middle schools! HBCUs should be offering camps and clinics for youth athletes in the state and out. Early presence is the key! Parents/Youth Coaches/Churches and Communities play a very vital part in student-athletes early exposure to Universities/Colleges. I remember Coach Arnette taking my brother and I along with his family to the Florida Classic (Bethune-Cookman VS FAMU), we were maybe 10 and 12. One of the first thing I remember seeing is all the people that looked like me with no drama just absolute team pride. The crowd wearing their team colors, cheered during the football game but when half time came the level of excitement and noise shook the stadium. Needless to say that exposure lead both my brother and I to pursue degrees from BCC (Bethune-Cookman College)!
If HBCUs do their job at getting with athletes when their young, they will have a chance at acquiring those top rated prospects and with that comes wins, with wins comes fans, with fans comes MONEY, with money comes better facilities/programs, with better facilities/programs comes exposure, and that brings donors. WHY? Because everyone attaches themselves with winners!
HBCUs step up your game with your community presents! Show the young impressionable prospect everything, the university/college is small and intimate enough to take the student-athlete around and meet all of the important people on campus that will help them be successful. Let them speak with current athletes/coaches, let them see the band play, sit in a class and meet the advisors and deans of the programs they will get “professional” degrees in. These suggestions are important, most players don’t think they’ll ever get hurt and don’t take into consideration, the school they have to attend outside the sports field. I truly believe that all it takes is for one HBCU to bring in the top recruits in the nation and win and these suggetions becomes revolutionary!
Even though, this blog is geared toward Sports, the student-athletes academic career is most important!
