TO THE EDITOR:
Vibrant blue Nike tennis shoes. Green Gatorade water bottles. Sleek black backpacks with the UNC logo. As soon as I see these three items on a classmate, I assume that he or she is an athlete.
For me, these visible markers have always evoked positive associations. I remember the varsity lacrosse player from my 8 a.m. English class who sprinted in just in time for discussions. She would apologize profusely because her workouts ran late, and then she would drive analyses of Utopia or Candide. I also marveled at my organic chemistry teaching assistant who starts for the varsity football team. He can explain blitzes, nucleophilic substitution reactions, cover two and countless other things that are beyond me.
Both of these students impressed me with their work ethic. They juggled practices and classes with apparent ease. Though their dedication to their sport required extreme sacrifice, they shrugged off the balancing act as entirely normal.
Unfortunately, the Wainstein report cast a shadow over UNC’s student-athletes. Though the majority of students involved in the paper classes were not athletes, national media sources demonized UNC’s athletics. Some asserted that student-athletes produce inferior work. Some students angrily accused student-athletes for not bringing illegitimate classes to light.
As blame spread across campus, student-athletes’ visible markers started to disappear. Student Body President Andrew Powell brought attention to this sad trend at the last Board of Trustees meeting. He expressed his pride in our student-athletes, and he called on the student body to show our support by designating tomorrow as “Student-Athlete Appreciation Day.”
I join him in saying how impressed and proud I am of our student-athletes, both in and out of the classroom. I hope you feel the same way. If so, join me by wearing Carolina Blue on Dec. 2.
Allie Polk
Student Body Secretary
