Collegiate Sports Majors Instead of Traditional Majors Where One Also Plays Sports

I understand that some people prefer to play sports in addition to their major, and I am not knocking that.  What I am seeking is for universities to recognize collegiate level sports as a major, such that graduation from such a program results in say a Bachelors Degree in Baseball.

Let’s face it, African Americans often find school difficult, but it seems to everyone that there are other ways of measuring intelligence other than IQ, and even the various standard assessments that I am aware of today.  For example, one person might be calculating the mathematical way to hit a 3 pointer in a basket ball game, while someone else might be entirely able to put the ball in the bucket and get the job done.  In that way, including sports as majors will no doubt help the Africa American community.

My radical suggestion would be to make collegiate sports to be a major.  For example, majoring in sports would mean that someone could choose basketball or baseball or even football as a major.  This is as opposed to traditional majors, such as biology, French, and engineering.

There are several reasons for this, but one of the greatest is my hope to inspire young athletes at the grade school to pursue health and wellness for a lifetime.  The problem is that America is getting fat, and that much needs to change or else there will be consequences to our poor eating habits.

The evidence is out there that putting sports on the television does not help folks, but I would beg to disagree.  Those polled were probably adults.  When I was in elementary school, nearly every kid playing squirts wanted to be a professional ball player.  And, though while we should not have delusions of grandeur that we are better than we really are, I believe that professional sports inspires youngsters to exercise.  That much is good for our bodies, and I believe that will translate into a strong America.

One of the major faults of America is that we need to focus more on sports more at the minor league level.  Our minor leaguers should be an inspiration for our youth.  I am lucky to live on Cape Cod where we have the Cape Cod Baseball League, CCBL, which is really at about the AA level.  When our local kids watch these players, many of which are headed for the big league, I indeed feel that it is inspirational to the youth, especially since so many kids can’t afford to attend major league sports.  The minor leagues are very affordable for almost anyone.  Likewise, I feel that broadening the scope of professional sports to include enough teams such that it would make sense for a student to attend College primarily for the aspect of achieving a degree in sports is beneficial to America. 

June 23, 2012: Alex Gets a CCBL T-Shirt and Wears It Proudly

For our family, and for so many families funds are limited.  I portioned out our money so that we would have $3 to donate for each upcoming game.  I know that it is less than the suggested donation, but June we had overspent, such that we could only afford $3 a game and then maybe some concessions.  This meant that we had to save in order to get Alex a Cape League t-shirt, which I might add: He is proudly wearing it now as we are listening to the Boston Red Sox on 96.3.  That is to get this one we had to break open the piggy bank.

Alex is a really good looking kid.  He is very social and very popular among folks in our town.  In that way, he makes for an excellent advertisement.  If people in the town of Sandwich see Alex wearing CCBL apparel or Bourne Braves apparel, then it is highly likely that they also might go to a game, even if it may not be the Bourne Braves themselves who gain more attendance.  For example, we know people that might attend a Falmouth or a Cotuit game as a result of this promotion.

Think of it this way, everything that you buy generally carries with it a label.  As someone using a product that has that label, you are representing that business, and hopefully trying to increase the amount of business or donations that business gets.

I, myself, have a CCBL t-shirt, and I often wear it specifically so that I might strike up a conversation that might make someone want to go to game.  In fact, that is exactly what happened the other day when I met someone in Buzzards Bay that when I said I was going to a Bourne Braves game.  The person I met mentioned that he might go see the Wareham Gatemen.  Often times most people that go to games donate $5 or more.  Just think, through representing the CCBL by wearing a t-shirt I helped proliferate the league.  Yes, possibly only $5 was made in this instance, but it is also possible that he went with a friend or friends that made donations and bought products, and may continue to do so in the future.  That is how the word is spread.  Before you know it $100 is made to support athletics.

Alex also has a Bourne Braves hat and it looks really good.  Whoever designed the hats for the Bourne Braves really deserves a compliment!  Alex was given his Bourne Braves hat when he was 3, as a gift.  He didn’t buy it himself.  However, this year, now that he is 4, I am trying to teach Alex the value of a dollar.  Meghan said that our friends the Broder’s where recently able to buy a shirt at a Braves game that was on clearance.  I was hoping for the same, seeing as how our funds were so limited.  However, breaking open the piggy bank, we have found we could give Alex enough to get a t-shirt 6/23/2012.

Unfortunately, the game was called when we were in the lead, and we hopefully we will win the makeup game scheduled for Monday at 6:00.

I have said it many times, and I’ll say it again.  In the Psalms, King David deplores those that accept free gifts, and while the CCBL is by donation only, to me what that really means is that we are on the honors system.  It is up to us to see that the CCBL can happen, such that I am grateful to all contributors, primarily because it is a great cause.  As I said, anytime one attends something such as a game, there should be some exchange of money, even if the game does not have vendors and there is no charge for attending.  Good people appreciate the honors system, but those that take advantage to free gifts usually end up finding out that they are not really in fact free, such that commerce is beneficial.

I was surprised that when we saw American Legion Post 188 at Doran Park there was no way to make a donation.  We had set aside $3, which isn’t much, but it is better than nothing.  The closest thing we made to a donation, where the drinks we brought with us, that I had purchased earlier on Friday 6/22/2012 for $0.20 a piece.  However, the drinks were bought specifically for the purpose of the game, and if you believe that one blessing begets another until it comes back to you, then by buying drinks for the game, we did something good!

Sometimes we have gone to games at the Henry T. Wing School, which has a concession stand.  For a few bucks you can buy a soda, some food, and help fund sports at grade school.  I am not sure if this is available at the high school.  As far as I remember, it wasn’t.  However, there is a new sports complex in the works, and hopefully buying concessions will be one way we can support athletics, whether it is at the grade school level on up through collegiate, and even the AAA level.

Minor Leagues: Older Sports Players Often Inspire the Youth To Exercise and To Play a Sport

I have heard it said that most people that go to games don’t play, such that it was argued that professional sports don’t do much.  Rubbish!

I would bet that if you asked any of the high school and college students that attend Cape League games whether or not they have played sports; the answer is almost certainly a definite yes.  So, while the elderly might not be pulling out their baseball gloves and tossing the ball around because of the Cape Cod Baseball League, the fact is that these college students are huge role models for young sports players.

In fact, I can remember all the way back to when I was taking a baseball clinic at the Mass Maritime Academy, where we were to get some training from Cape League players.  To us, the youth that played baseball, getting lessons from Cape Leaguers was a dream.

The fact is that boys and girls should see players at all levels of play.  To see a team play that is better than you is often inspiring.  The other day we saw American Legion Post 188 play Orleans.  This level of play is made up of high school and college players.  Alex, my 4 year old son, being just 4 probably isn’t going to notice much of a difference between these levels of play.  However, just as I can hope that he might one day aspire to play in the Cape League, or at the Collegiate level, I can bring him to games where high school players play.  These sorts of things are very inspiring, especially for the youth.  And, likewise, if we are to become more physically fit as a nation, chances are that we won’t inspire too many 30 year olds to pick up soccer that did not play in high school.  The fact is, they have already been inspired by varsity teams, and teams like the Crusaders.  However, grade school players, then possibly we have a better chance at becoming more physically fit as a nation.

Charity: Make an Investment That Might Just Come Back to You

Though my dad invested some money in mutual funds for me while I was at college, not everyone can afford to play the stock market.  There are more ways of investing than stock, gold, and bond, etcetera, and one of those ways is putting some money in the charity box.  Really, no amount is too give, even a penny.  For example, if I remember correctly pennies are more expensive to make than dollars.  In fact, a penny costs more to make than the penny is currently worth, and though that is unfortunate, pennies have value.

Lately, I have been trying to teach my son about how to invest.  The type of investment I suggested that he make is via a charity box.

When one attends a Cape League game, he or she does not have to pay anything, but there is a suggested donation.  Yesterday, I got the money that I had set aside for donating to the team, the Bourne Braves, especially as a thank you for playing.  These are college players that technically aren’t receiving a check for playing ball.  It makes sense to invest in these players.  In fact, there are several Bourne Braves players on major league rosters according to this year’s booklet.  Donating a few pennies to this cause has the potential to have a return of millions of dollars.  Many of the players end up playing minor league ball after playing in the Cape League, where they serve as role models for our country which needs health role models.  Many of these players become Big Brothers.  By putting some money into the charity box, I know that if I give, it eventually comes back to me, such that I wanted the same for my son.

Before the game I scrounged up some change to give to my son Alex.  I told him that since he is a good boy and that I receive blessing from having him as a son, this was money that he had earned.  I gave him the money, and told him that he had the choice; he could either put the money in the charity box or keep it.  However, I did advise him to put the money in the charity box.  Though he was only 4yrs old, he was looking to put the money into the red bucket, but he couldn’t reach because he wasn’t tall enough.  So, I said to my son such that the people at the gate could hear, “Would you like to make a donation?”  Then, the bucket was lowered, such that he could put some money in, and at the same time possibly making money that may pay him dividends in some way.  He is well behaved, intelligent, good looking, and in so many ways he makes me proud to be a father, as I am typing this document on Father’s Day, such that he deserves to be able to make an investment.  I believe in Gd not money.  However, money is one way one can make an investment, especially if your ability to give is limited.  My belief in Gd causes me to believe that one investment is like any other investment, such that if one gives, then he or she may receive future dividends.

Secondly, I offered Alex another chance to give money today.  We don’t have a lot of money, but in my opinion, even if you can part with a penny and put it in a charity box, then you are making an investment.  I told him that I was going to McDonald’s Restaurant, and that Alex’s grandparents had given me some money for being a father.  I told Alex, that some of this money was his, and that he had earned it simply by being my son.  I told him that I was going to give some money to charity at McDonald’s when I bought a soda, and that if he wanted I could put $0.50 in the charity box for him if he wanted me to.  He seemed to think that that was a good idea, telling me that he wanted for me to donate the money instead of keeping it for himself.  Again, since at this time he is only 4yrs old, I advised him as a parent that this is a good idea.

In addition, another way that Alex can benefit is through me writing this blog, and that through Alex, I might be able to help people remember to give to charity if they can, or at least help people that might read this through explaining that giving to charity if often in one’s best interest.