2006: AOL.com - Pro Athletes Use Online Learning to Score Their Degrees

December 2006 -- What do an NBA forward, minor league baseball players and an MLS soccer player have in common? They're all rounding out their athletic strengths with scholastic prowess - pursuing their college degrees while maintaining their status in pro sports. NBA Player's Off-Court Smarts Jalen Rose, who just signed as a forward with the Phoenix Suns, may be known as "The Natural" for his versatile ability to play any position, but the 6' 8" athlete knows basketball will not go on forever either. His game plan? Dribbling the basketball knowledge off-court. "For the past few seasons I've been preparing for a future after basketball as I plan to move into broadcasting or a front-office position." Since Jalen was recruited from the University of Michigan during his junior year, he always knew earning that coveted degree was in the playbook. "I wanted to be a college graduate," he says. "I promised my mother and grandmother I would finish my degree." By pursuing online classes for five years and earning a bachelor's degree in management studies from the University of Maryland University College (UMUC), he made sacrifices during the summer to complete his work and make that goal a reality. Another inspiration was to be a role model to children. Each year through the Jalen Rose Foundation, he presents five Michigan-area public school students with $10,000 scholarships. "I wanted to be able to practice what I preached...the hardest part was showing the discipline and making the time to complete the courses. But education is something I feel is very important to a person's individual growth and development," Jalen explains. Kicking It Up an Academic Notch "As difficult as juggling school and professional sports may sound, it's not that bad," says Ryan Cochrane, a defender for the Houston Dynamo, the Major League Soccer team currently vying for the title of Western Conference champion. After getting drafted three years ago during his junior year at Santa Clara University (Santa Clara, Calif.), Ryan thought he'd have to put his marketing degree on a time-out while he made his pro-soccer dreams come true. The Oregon native is a student once again, this time in Regis University's online classes that balance out well with his on-field career. "It's all about finding balance and fitting studying into your daily routine," explains the 23-year-old, who incorporates homework assignments into his daily two-hour training sessions and Saturday games. And, since pre-season begins in February and ends in mid-November for championship teams, the fit is almost seamless, he says. The eight-week class sessions provide Ryan with the flexibility to manage the academic workload depending if it'?s in the midst of the rigorous season or heading into some off-season downtime. After he eventually hangs up his cleats, Ryan's goal is to work in sports marketing. "Soccer will not go on forever," he realizes. "Having a degree is vital, whether you?re online or physically in class."? He hopes to complete his degree within the next 18 months. Baseball Players in Learning Limbo? Richard Astro, Ph.D. and academic advisor of the New York Mets, agrees that pro athletes with a solid "plan B" have an advantage when their playing days are over. Having worked the past 25 years in higher education, Astro advocates athletes' completion of at least a bachelor's degree. "The nature of baseball is the draft, which typically occurs during the junior year of college," he explains. While the result could be a sterling baseball contract, the educational impact often leaves a ballplayer'?s degree in learning limbo. That's why this past year, the Mets organization commissioned Astro to incorporate an online learning component for players through Drexel University. The ultimate goal? To give athletes the opportunity to continue and/or advance their education via online curriculum that's relevant, whether it's courses in sports technology, the economics of sports, or minorities and sports. For Kingsport Mets catcher, Josh Thole, online classes provide the opportunity for the rookie player to work out his mind in addition to his body. The 20-year-old typically works out one and a half hours each day at the gym, including the batting cage and throwing practice, but still manages to study for his general business degree. "Online learning is a great situation, especially now in the off-season," explains Josh, who was drafted by the Mets right out of high school. "I'm enjoying the literature of baseball and sociology of baseball." Another important aspect of Drexel's program is its community-service learning component, which, says Astro, makes players' eClassroom experiences even more vibrant. Josh's volunteering exposes him to children via Boys and Girls Clubs and Junior Achievement experiences, he says, are mutually inspirational. "It's helpful to be with the kids and inspire them. We went into schools and taught them things like government, law, and morals." Although Josh is just starting his pro career, he understands that making it to the big leagues isn't always in the cards. "In baseball, anything can happen." That's also how Ricky Bell, third baseman for the Triple A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals, sees it. "Baseball doesn't last forever," says the minor leaguer who uses flight time for away games to complete the reading assignments required for his bachelor's degree. "I knew college would be time consuming, but I had to set aside time to enjoy it." The eight-week intervals of Regis' online program are a bonus, he says, as each course lends itself well to demands of the season. Ricky has always aspired to one day return to college, even when the Los Angeles Dodgers drafted him in 1997. Inspired by his wife (who earned an online bachelor?s degree from Xavier University), Bell has been enrolled at Regis since last October. By studying general courses such as philosophy, psychology, microeconomics, he explains a professional career in sports parlays well from the field into the virtual classroom. "I'm well-prepared from the discipline aspect through professional baseball," Ricky explains. "It's helped me manage my time and set aside time to go to work." Bell aspires to become a financial planner after his baseball career is over, and wishes he'd set his sights on scoring academic points toward his future field sooner. "I put everything I had into the big leagues, but at this point, I wish I would've started my degree earlier." As Astro echoes, it's never too early for athletes (or anyone) to pursue their education by contemplating the next career game plan. "Think about what you want to do and what will give you both personal and professional satisfaction," he explains. Now that's a win-win situation. by Vicki Salemi Vicki Salemi, a frequent contributor to ClassesUSA.com, Online Degrees Magazine, and The CollegeBound Network, writes regularly about education and career issues. She is also the author of "The ABC's of College Life."