TheScholar­Baller™Paradigm

AtArizonaStateUniversity(ASU),thefootballstudent‐athletesarebeingchallengedtotapintothesamecompetitivefirethatmakesthemgreatathletesandbringthistotheirendeavorsasstudentsthroughtheScholar‐Baller™concept.

Intheurbanvernacular,a“baller”isanindividualwhoexcelsinagivenactivity.WithintheASUfootballculture,theterm“Scholar‐Baller”referstosomeonewhocompetesatahighlevelandissuccessfulintheclassroomwitha3.0GPAorabove.TheimplementationoftheScholarBallerprogramatASUhasbeenacollaborativeeffortbetweenDr.C.KeithHarrison,DirectorofthePaulRobesonResearchCenterforAcademicandAthleticProwess,JeanBoyd,AssociateAthleticsDirectorforStudent‐AthleteDevelopment,andtheASUfootballcoachingstaff.TheScholar‐Baller™paradigmteachesthatperformingwellinschoolandearningabachelor’sdegreearevictoriesthatlastalifetime.

• Student‐athletesarechallengedtobeScholar‐Ballersandarerewardedfortheiracademicsuccessinsomeofthefollowingways:

• Scholar‐Baller™AwardsatCampTontozonaeachyear(T‐shirts,backpacks,etc.)recognizing3.0andabovestudent‐athletes;

• Scholar‐Baller™Dinner;

• ApatchonthefrontofeachScholar‐Baller’sgamejersey(ASUisthefirstDivisionIschoolinthecountrytoacknowledgefootballstudent‐athleteacademicsuccessonitsjerseys).

SinceCoachKoetterandhisstaff’sarrivaltoASU,JeanBoyd’sappointmentasAcademicCoachforfootballandimplementationoftheScholar‐Baller™concept,ASUFootballhasexperiencedsignificantimprovementintheacademicperformanceoftheentirefootballteam:

• ASUhadanall‐timehighof41student‐athletesearnScholar‐Baller™recognitionforthe2004‐05academicyear.

• TheSunDevilshada68percentgraduationratein2005.

• ThecumulativeGPAsfortheASUfootballteamshaverisensubstantiallyoverthepastfiveyears.

• Onlytwooutof96footballstudent‐athletesrecruitedbyCoachKoetter’sstaffinthepastfouryearshavebeendeclaredacademicallyineligible.

WhilewinningonthefootballfieldismostcloselyscrutinizedandisabsolutelynecessarytobesuccessfulasaPac‐10Conference,DivisionIfootballprogram,preparingyoungmenforlifeisjustasimportantinthebroaderschemeofsociety.PromotingtheScholar‐Baller™imagedoesjustthat;preparesASUfootballstudent‐athletesforthegreatestcompetitionofall:LIFE!