Growing up in America sports are a vital part of everyday life. From childhood to adulthood, some aspects of sport concern practically everyone. As a child you try to find a hobby to play sports. As parents, fathers look forward to coaching their children's little league team. And for dozens and young people, sport is an opportunity to become "someone" and do something extraordinary. The general perception in high school and college is that athletes have it all. If you're good at sports then you don't have to worry about schoolwork or popularity and essentially don't have a worry in the world; you are invincible. While it's great to see some succeed and become professional athletes, many others don't have the same fate. The fate of these athletes, who are the majority, is what drives my opinion of college sports. If I had the opportunity to create a new college sports system, it would look nothing like the current system used by American colleges today. My system would eliminate college athletics and create a separation between athletics and higher education. According to the Pew Research Center, 47% of Americans believe the purpose of college is to teach job-related skills, while 39% believe it is to help students grow personally and intellectually (PewResearchCenter, 2011). I personally believe that the purpose of college is higher education, meaning that the skills and knowledge learned in college are intended to create a valuable and productive member in society. A college education should be specific to what a person plans to do for the rest of their life. Of all the sports played professionally around the world, many athletes' careers are short-lived. The average career of an athlete in each of the four... middle of paper... space where adults can play a child's game instead of going to school. If athletes want to play so badly because they feel they are good enough, then they have to make sacrifices. I'm not against talented people playing professional sports, but I am against those who don't get a degree and actually get something out of college before they do. Written in an article published by USA Today "in 2009 that 78% of NFL players are bankrupt or face serious financial hardship within two years of ending their playing career and that 60% of NBA players are at green within five years of retiring from the game" (Wiles, 2012). Professional athletics isn't just about fame and being filthy rich and that's something young college students don't understand. It is essential to improve yourself and get a degree, there is much more to life than just sports.