It seems as though everything and I mean everything hinges on money today. I remember a time when playing ball was just fun. Everyone wanted to be a part of a team. Today the fun part has just about left unless you join a pickup game somewhere. The NCAA just passed rules that now allow colleges to pay their athletes. This will forever change the course of college sports. Mark my words this will be the downfall of competitive collegiate sports. Paying college athletes changes everything, the rule books have always forbidden this. The National Collegiate Athletic Association’s recent decision to allow colleges and universities to pay athletes directly marks a seismic shift in the landscape of college sports. As the NCAA navigates this uncharted territory, it’s essential to consider the implications of paying college athletes and what this means for the very fabric of college sports.

The notion that student-athletes participate for the love of the game, rather than financial gain, has been a cherished ideal. The pay-for-play model represents a significant departure from the traditional amateurism model.

The landscape of college sports will never be the same. As the NCAA navigates this new terrain, it’s essential to prioritize athlete interests, and ensure that the collegiate athletic experience remains true to its core values. The future of college sports depends on it.

A trip to Morgantown to watch the Mountaineers in the 1970’s and 80’s was a fun time. You mostly knew what to expect from year to year as the players would be back every year until they graduated. It was like that at all universities. It is still fun to watch games and cheer on your favorite team, but I’m afraid it’s all about to come to an end. When money controls who wins and loses the fun is gone.

Youth sports will always be my favorite to watch. Nothing is better than watching young kids having a good time on the ball fields. I’ll take the old days anytime. Back when the little league parks were full. When T-Ball was more about watching 4-5 year olds learning to throw, hit, catch and run. Today everything is changing, parents no longer keep their kids in town, they take them elsewhere hoping to make them better. The pay to play system has also changed youth sports and not for the better. I bet anything that getting out on the outdoor court or field and playing everyday will make you a better player than going out of town to a camp or training facility and paying someone else to teach you what they know. Parents should work more with their kids instead of traveling all over the place and paying others to do what they should do. Especially when they are at a young age.

Some of the best athletes I’ve seen are the ones who dedicated themselves to working hard and spending time with friends during the summer months sharpening their skills. I’ve seen kids who couldn’t make the team one year become the star the following year because they wanted to play. My thought is you don’t have to pay a lot of money to become a good athlete. It just takes hard work and determination.

At a recent track meet I noticed a few area athletes who have spent a lot of time getting in shape and running everyday. They didn’t get that way by paying a lot of money, they got that way from dedicating themselves to getting better. It has paid off. One in particular is undefeated, another has stepped up in the hurdles to grab first place in recent events. The state track meet is only a little over three weeks away and I believe we have several kids who will bring home gold medals. We have many more who will place and receive medals and ribbons. The WTTL held each week at Tyler Consolidated high school is a good league where the local athletes can compete against each other and get a feel of what to expect at the regional state qualifying meet scheduled to take place May 16.

Also baseball and softball sectionals are about to begin as the regular season winds down. Let’s hope we can perform well as they enter the playoffs. Good luck going forward to area athletes, especially to the seniors who are in their last year.