For many years Jones College has recruited athletes from several foreign countries and across the United States. For most, this is an amazing opportunity to play the sports they love at the next level. However, there’s a downside of being several hours away from home with a busy schedule.
From soccer to cheerleading, Jones is successful on and off the field. These student-athletes must maintain a minimum GPA of 2.5 to remain eligible to compete in their sport. It is most important to keep their grades up and receive a scholarship to continue their education at the next level.
“It is, of course, difficult being nine hours away from home and missing things for my siblings, but it is worth it to get a chance to continue doing what I love and have always wanted to do,” said Gracelyn Boggs, a freshman cheerleader from Kentucky. “I know what is most important is passing my classes to get into the Kinesiology program and getting set up for a good future.”
This is a struggle that many college students face, as they learn to be independent from their families and live on their own. While most can make a quick trip home on a weekend and see their parents and other family members, this is not the case for those living out-of-state or out-of-country.
Jones recruits from countries such as England, Ireland and Australia. These athletes usually only get to see their families for Christmas and summer holidays. Coaches, teammates and other peers take these students into their homes for Thanksgiving and other holiday breaks when campus closes.
Support staff at Jones is helpful for these students as well. The school cafeteria remains open for several days during holiday breaks for those who must remain on campus. There are also counselors available to speak to those having a hard time with being far from home. Residential Advisors and other dorm staff also go above and beyond to ensure that students who are unable to go home are taken care of and enjoying holidays.
“Learning life alone is difficult at my age,” said Ethan Johnson, a sophomore cheerleader from Murfreesboro, Tennessee. “It’s definitely a surreal feeling to be able to learn how to live life and manage my school and sports away from family and home.”
These student-athletes are well known around campus as scholarly and determined, despite the busy schedules and distance from their families. It takes focus to maintain good grades and balance this with a sport and long plane rides home. These are also often straight-A students as they are held to a higher standard, or the gold standard as it is often called at Jones. They understand that they are first students and second athletes, both roles requiring them to maintain good character and present themselves in a good way, holding themselves to the gold standard.
by Rylee Burks
