How Does Paying College Athletes Affect High School Sports?

The question whether college athletes should receive pay has been a hot debate. While most people wonder how the decision will impact college students, another segment of the population is l also likely to experience the effects of this decision: High school athletes. How does the potential to get paid in college impact what high school athletes decide to do? Let's explore the several possibilities.

The situation

College-level athletes are now eligible to receive payment for their efforts on the field. This decision has been the source of some controversy on the sports circuit. Some people feel that paying college athletes will place an undo emphasis on athletics in a setting where education is supposed to take priority.

Other people feel that, since sports programs generate significant sums of money for schools, it’s only fair that the athletes doing most of the work share in some of that revenue. While the situation continues to be a hot debate, the outcome of the decision has real-world impacts. Now that college athletes can be paid for their likeness and their name, what will it mean for participation in high school sports?

Higher priority

It’s reasonable to assume that high school athletics will now receive a slightly heightened priority in the eyes of participants. In fact, this is one of the primary issues critics take against paying school athletes in the first place.

If there is money involved, won’t students naturally prioritize time on the field over time in the classroom?

The case for this concern is questionable. Many student-athletes were already in a position to put significant priority on their sports. Students attending university on an athletic scholarship are expected to play well. Otherwise, they risk losing their money.

Paying students money more directly for their time does not shift the stakes significantly. It does, however, marginally increase the potential for interest in sports at the high school level.

High school students unsure of where to focus their attention when it comes to extra-curricular may feel enticed by the potential to pursue an activity that might eventually result in making money.

Similarly, the prospect of eventual revenue may lead to athletes who were always going to play sports to work even harder to improve their performance. The question of whether this will interfere with learning is uncertain. However, it’s worth pointing out that participation in school sports usually hinges on the athlete maintaining a good grade point average.

Selective participation

Paying college athletes may also influence what sports people play at the high school level. The way the current system works, any student-athlete can be paid for their efforts when the school uses their name or likeness. Technically, this means that all college athletes are eligible for potential payment. In practice, however, only certain sports are widely advertised and promoted. For most colleges, this means that the majority of time and attention goes to football and basketball — generally the most lucrative sporting programs in the United States.

For example, a high school student interested in swimming, may feel disinclined to pursue this sport when they know that all the money is going to other sports.

Some critics worry that this will lead to obscure sports falling off the map entirely. While there is merit to this argument, one could argue that a similar dynamic was already in place. The majority of scholarship money already favored high-profile sports.

While the issue may get exacerbated by the decision to pay athletes, it’s only a continuation of a dynamic that already existed.

It’s also worth keeping in mind that the specifics of the ruling to pay athletes as they currently exist do not explicitly favor any particular sport. Athletes are ostensibly given the opportunity to reap the rewards of income they were already generating (likeness promotions, marketing based on specific athlete’s names, etc.).

Through this dynamic, a skilled swimmer or tennis player can still use their collegiate success to offer lessons or bring in other branding-related income streams.

More competitive environment

With the potential for collegiate earnings on the line, the world of high school sports may also become more competitive. Players with an otherwise moderate motivation to pursue college sports may decide to dedicate more time to training and practice if they believe they might make money because of their extra efforts.

Only time will tell whether this decision negatively impacts a student's academic performance. For now, however, it’s reasonable to assume that sports will become more interesting than ever to young athletes.

Is it relevant?

Of course, it’s important for educators and high school coaches to understand the potential impacts that paying college athletes might have on high school students. 

Should these possibilities have any bearing on the decision to pay athletes?

For better or worse, the question whether to pay athletes isn’t necessarily about what choice is most productive, but rather what is most fair. For years, college athletes have generated massive amounts of revenue for schools without seeing anything in return for themselves. That problem is getting fixed. Only time will tell what this change means for school-aged athletes at every level.

About the Author

Sarah Daren has been a consultant for startups in multiple industries including health and wellness, wearable technology, nursing, and education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life, including her position as a yoga instructor and raising her two children. When she's not watching the New York Yankees play, Sarah enjoys practicing yoga and reading a good book on the beach.