The Brigham Young University Cougars Men’s Basketball Program is in the midst of one of its most successful seasons in history. They’re currently the third ranked team in College Basketball and appear to be in great shape going into the NCAA Tournament. The annual spectacular that places the top 65 teams in the country against one-another in a knockout tournament. They’re on-track to end the year with their best-ever record of 30-5, currently sitting at 27-2, whilst notching the fifth highest Point Per Game average over the season with 82.9. Star-man Jimmer Fredette leads the NCAA with 27.3 PPG individually. BYU seemed primed to post a season for the history books, which makes their recent decision to suspend key-player Brandon Davies even more monumental.
Brigham Young University enforces an honor code on all students – most College’s have something similar. However BYU expects more than most. The code enforces that all students attend church weekly, use clean language, conduct themselves in a respectable and honorable manner. Pretty standard stuff. Then they go a step further. The code states that students cannot consume any alcohol, tea or coffee, refrain from smoking and any substance abuse. They also enforce a dress and grooming code. Lastly, BYU’s honor code forbids all students from premarital sex, instructing students to "live a chaste and virtuous life."
Personally, I find it difficult to relate to such a stringent code. But I can respect what BYU are trying to achieve with it.
As a current University student, I enjoy the lifestyle that comes with being an enrolled student. Sure it’s a high workload, yet we’re encouraged to have fun and enjoy the time we spend at University. Would I feel the same if I were attended BYU, where strict rules control just about every aspect of my daily life, even down to how I dress or if I shaved every morning. I’ll admit I would probably struggle being a student at BYU. I couldn’t conform to that level of control, maintain that level of sobriety or stay awake in morning lectures without a Red Bull to get me going.
Regardless, it’s hard not to respect BYU’s commitment to their rules, especially considering the potentially huge cost to the Cougar’s Basketball aspirations.
BYU recently suspended third-highest scorer and leading rebounder Brandon Davies for an undisclosed violation of the code. Reports have since confirmed that Davies was kicked-off the Cougars Basketball squad after admitting to having sexual relations with his girlfriend. He reportedly met with the school on Monday, openly admitting to the breach of honor code. Because Davies openly admitted to his actions, it appears likely that he won’t be expelled or have any academic penalties applied. He should also be eligible to play again in 2012.
Considering that Davies will now miss out on BYU’s NCAA Tournament run, one that he has been instrumental in attaining, does seem rather harsh considering the “crime”. It seems incredibly easy to feel sorry for Davies. At most other schools this would barely be even acknowledged, let alone bring forth such a harsh penalty.
But Davies knew what he was getting into when he agreed to take a scholarship at BYU. He grew up near-by and knew all about the honor code he would be agreeing to live by over the course of his college life.
Given the high-stakes business that is College Sports in America, BYU’s success should come as a surprise. Placing such high expectations on students would ward off many potential possible recruits for the school. With players not being paid for representing their school, the only incentive that is on offer for potential recruits, is the college life they’ll experience.
With so many institutions in America willing to sacrifice student standards, hungry for the potential exposure and money that comes with sporting success, that makes BYU’s actions such a power testament. The testament that whilst chasing athletic success, BYU won’t stand by and watch as the rules that govern the college gets broken.
Far too many program’s turn a blind eye to the increasingly diminishing behavior of student-athletes. They’re given a seemingly never-ending supply of chances, breeding an attitude of entitlement with players who are fawned upon from an early aged. Parents are paid by programs to try and influence which school their child chooses, and then are given a free pass once they begin their college life. BYU doesn’t work that way, to them integrity counts. They aren’t just training young boys to become athletes; they’re grooming adolescents into adults. They’re standing by what they consider the college to be all about. Which is this case is the belief system derived from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
The basketball presence left empty by the absence of Brandon Davies will be incredibly tough to replace for BYU, especially as they approach the most crucial games of their season. It could derail the otherwise dream season they’re having.
But BYU wouldn’t diminish its principles for a few more notches in the win column. It’s an incredibly rare approach these days, but it’s a very admirable one.
No comments:
Post a Comment