It may surprise you to know that my behavior during baseball practice at Tabor College many years ago required some extra running.
I?m sure some of you are shocked and appalled that such a model student-athlete would do something to warrant even this mild form of punishment or corrective behavior. Let?s just say that my freedom of speech wasn?t fully appreciated by the coach on this occasion.
As I recall, those of us on the pitching staff were asked to run a certain drill that was rather tiring and made our legs ache. Strong legs are very important when pitching, which is why the coach wanted us to do this particular drill.
Unfortunately, I chose an inopportune time to groan, which resulted in the head coach telling me to run to the football practice field goal posts off in the distance and back before resuming the drill.
I did not appeal to a higher court. I took off running toward the goal posts, while probably muttering quietly under my breath.
That?s the only time I can recall being disciplined for my behavior as a student-athlete. I learned my lesson and it really wasn?t so much painful as it was embarrassing.
Oh, wait. For the sake of full disclosure, I just remembered a second occasion, although I wasn?t solely responsible. As a freshman at Hillsboro High School, our English class was not being very respectful of the teacher. That resulted in the entire class of about 25 students having to stay after school five or 10 minutes, which made me late for track practice.
Coaches nowadays come up with varying types of punishment for misdeeds. They often make decisions at warp speed compared to the judicial system.
Not every situation is a snap decision, however.
Generally, the more serious the offense, the longer it takes to announce the decision, and the punishment is often more severe.
If student-athletes are failing academically in the classroom, they typically are ineligible to participate in sports until their grades improve.
If student-athletes are arrested and/or convicted for DUI, they are likely to receive a game suspension or more.
Earlier this fall, when Florida State quarterback Jameis Winston was seen shouting an obscene phrase on campus, the university initially suspended him for the first half of a game against Clemson. However, before the week had ended, the suspension was extended to a full game.
Florida State coach Jimbo Fisher said, ?You have to be very intelligent about what you say, (because) it matters. You don?t ever want any kind of instances, but we have to keep learning and educating, we have to make better decisions, we have to make good decisions on things. And we?ll try to continue to do that and try to educate.?
Winston has been embroiled in controversy for other off-the-field incidents as well. He has been given numerous chances to figure it out, probably more than the average student-athlete. And therein lies the rub. The perception is that the more talented the student-athlete, the more forgiving an institution will be.
To the public it appears to be easier for professional and college teams to forgive a talented athlete for an indiscretion than an average athlete.
Student-athletes have been suspended for a quarter, a half or maybe just the first series of downs as a consequence for what is deemed as unacceptable behavior.
At the high school and small college level, we rarely hear why a player gets disciplined. At the major college and professional level, it?s harder to keep secrets.
Professional athletes are fined for some of their misdeeds on the field of play by the league office.
At the college level, the punishment more likely involves the loss of playing time, although there have been some creative exceptions.
In 2007, the Penn State football team had to clean its stadium after home games because several players had been involved in a fight earlier that year.
In any event, I?m sure there are a few student-athletes who can identify with Tom Guntorius, who said: ?In school I was never the class clown, but more the class trapeze artist. I was always being suspended.?