Being a student athlete at DePauw University compared to Indiana University or Ohio State University is vastly different. We do not get the benefits that most student athletes at the large state schools enjoy and sometimes take for granted. At the Division III level, athletic scholarships are not awarded. If you play sports at DePauw, you are purely playing for four mores years of enjoyment, for the love of the game.
This past year, Ohio State University's freshmen backup quarterback Cardale Jones tweeted, "Why should we have to go to class if we came here to play FOOTBALL, we ain't come to play SCHOOL, classes are POINTLESS." Now, I know that not every student athlete has this same mind set, and there are numerous academics that earn Division I scholarships for athletics that make the most of their opportunity to get their education, among several other things, paid for. But that tweet shows the mindset of some of the athletes in major college sports.
You know coming into DePauw that you will be demanded to go to class and have a rigorous workload to deal with on top of the sport you play if you choose to pursue it. You eat the same meals as every other student and are in the same challenging classes as every other student.
I have talked to friends who currently attend those state schools or have in the past and transferred into DePauw. They said it was night and day difference. The average student at DePauw has a heavier workload than the average student at a larger school with lecture halls with hundreds of students. Most of the students I talked to that attend the state schools were not athletes for their school, making it even more impressive for those balancing the workload as a student athlete here at DePauw.
In season, it is very difficult with the long hours put into school. After classes for the day, you head off to practice for hours at a time and usually have to lift weights afterwards. Following that, you usually have quite a bit of due the next day so you get right to work on that. Some nights after a lengthy days worth of class and practice, I will grab a quick bite to eat and work on homework until two in the morning. And all that work for what? An hour or so of playing time depending on your sport with far fewer fans than my high school games drew.
There is very little glory in Division III athletics, yet I do it because I love it.
I was accepted into other schools and looking into other football programs and I am very happy with my choice to play Division III football at DePauw. DIII athletes are somewhat looked down upon because they aren't as talented as the high school All-American's but they should be praised for what they do. They don't get any money for playing their sport. They go to class, have to make grades, and still play the sport they love. They get no media attention, don't have the fan support, and sure don't have the facilities to rival the major universities.
I am proud of myself and every other DIII athlete for following their dream of playing college athletics and not taking the easiest route.