Athletics or Academics

By Don Valentine

      Weekend Dads across the county and the nation.  The time you’re investing in your little tike’s football performance in “Pop Warner” football or high school football/basketball participation should be bifurcated.

It is long and well documented that the average N.F.L. carrier is 3.3 years.  That assumes you surpass the amazing odds against making this goal.   Please spend a lot more time on the books and getting your children academically prepared.  Too many Dads think that their “young one” is a lottery sport choice!

Knowledge will never dissipate.  Your sprint time in the 40 yard dash will.  Understanding how to structure a well written sentence will not evaporate. Understanding algebra or science [why is the sky blue] are tools you will retain forever. Economic analysis did not disappear from the cerebral cortex of Jay Z!

Now after your lucky 3 years or so in the league have expired what do you have left? A high coordinator position on that football team.   Care to guess how much damage those helmet hits might accumulate?

Tom Brady, Jerry Rice or Emmitt Smith or the rare anomalies. Should you as a Dad make the wiser choice to invest in Academics you might have an off spring that is a former Harvard Constitutional Law Professor Senator from Illinois and two term President of the United States.

The Academic path led one skinny marginal basketball player from Chicago to the West Wing.  Becoming the first Black Law school review editor was another stone in President Obama’s ascent to become the historic first Black President.  You cannot dispute his career has and will continue to surpass 3.3 years. Don’t forget to help your “little guy with the academics” as well!