by Stan Rezaee

Created on: April 05, 2010   Last Updated: April 06, 2010

Every college athlete has this fantasy of finishing their education, then they are offered a million dollar contract to play for some major professional sports team. In reality the odds are against the athlete, hence they are better of playing just for the scholarship while studying hard for a future that is possible.

According to Andrew W. Miracle Jr. book "Lessons of the Locker Room", 4 out of 100,000 white males and 2 out of 100,000 will be playing a professional sport after college. Another example it that there are more three times more African-Americans practicing brain surgery then they are in the NFL. So its obvious now that your better of winning the lottery then making it pro.

For college athlete to focus more on their performance and less on their academics is nice way for them to literally shoot them selves in the foot. It takes only one injury or to ruin a season or one rejection (which is the majority) to crush your future. 

But for athletes who started in high school, you have the advantage. Chances are some prestigious academic institution (like Harvard or Yale) accepted you because they needed better athletes on their team. This has opened up doors of opportunity for the student as they can receive an education from a respectable institution. 

These institutions would allow the individual to meet influence people or make friends with others who have influence which could be helpful in the future. But don't use them to go pro, their are now better opportunities available, keep your options diversified. Also no degree would make you useless to your influential friends.

Since you have attended a prestigious educational institution, you will be receiving the best learning available which will give you a degree (go for a Masters or higher) that will have more credibility then degrees from other school. Hence you will have a better chance at gaining respectable employment.

Try working for a degree in business along with another degree that you have a passion for (except sports). Double majoring will increase your chances of receiving employment. That way when you graduate with two degrees and influential friends, your future is better of prepared then having gambled it off to the NFL and lost. 

So, it's obviously pointless to gamble your future on a fantasy that might not be possible. But if you used your athletic ability to get the attention of Ivy League schools, then your future is set so long as you focus more on your academics and less on your ability to get the attention of the NFL.

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