by Sean Poliakoff

Created on: January 12, 2009

FCCJ Athletes Work Hard in the Classroom

Louis Craft and Jean Louisme are not your stereotypical college students.
Not only do they attend the same classes as other students but they are also basketball players for the Florida
Community College at Jacksonville Stars.

Louis Craft, a freshman center for the Stars' basketball team, said that some aspects about college academics are easier than high school.

"In college, you don't have as much pressure. You get to do your own thing," said Craft.

However, Jean Louisme, a freshman guard who hasn't decided on a major, quipped that Coach Orr, the men's basketball coach, does encourage players to study a lot.

Both Craft and Louisme believe that most students assume that athletes are not as smart as other students. However, what most students don't realize is that Craft and Louisme undergo seven to eight hours of athletic training every day. They also have to spend two and a half hours in study hall.

"Sometimes we will feel overwhelmed but we look past that. We know that all of this is good for us," said Louisme.

Terry Piard, a former relief pitcher for the Stars' baseball team, said that part of receiving an athletic scholarship from FCCJ requires him to honor the rules and be a good student.

"I can't party as much as I like, I have to maintain a good GPA, and it is hard work. However, I have school paid for and that is a big plus," said Piard.

Three of the 2008 student athlete academic awards recipients had a 4.0 GPA.
The recipients were Roman Tillman, a former centerfielder for the men's baseball team who signed with Western Carolina University this past summer; Amber Pederson, a former softball player who had been an all-state selection at multiple positions; and Alexandra Glebova, a sophomore tennis player majoring in Sports Management.
All of these students underwent rigorous athletic training and academic stress.

On the FCCJ website, Louisme and Craft both listed their favorite quotes.
Louisme listed "He who works the hardest is the last to surrender." Craft listed "He who slacks is the brother who destroys."

Obviously, both students take these quotations to heart as they continue to work hard. Craft says that he has been receiving mostly B's for the fall semester. Likewise, Louisme thinks his GPA will be in the 3.0 range after he gets his grades for the fall semester.

These student athletes have the security knowing that even if their playing career does not extend beyond FCCJ, then they still got a high-quality education.
For others, they may have the opportunity to continue playing at division I schools or even being drafted, like Jon Michael Redding, FCCJ's starting pitcher for the 2007-2008 season who was drafted in the fifth round by the Los Angeles Dodgers in June.
However, Redding
still has an associates degree from FCCJ to fall back on.

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