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ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý With the World Juniors having just wrapped up – Go Canada Go – it got me wondering why the NHL seems to pick up players straight out of high school, whereas Ìýalmost any other sport there’s a huge college following.
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Turns out this kind of just comes down to the rules of the governing bodies. For example, the NBA put into effect the rule that players must complete one year of college or be 19-years-old. The idea is that it would be a stepping stone through high school basketball to a more intense program and finally to the professional level.
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý Then for the NFL the ruling bodies state that players can’t be drafted until three years after their high school class graduates. This is why College Football in the States is such a big deal, it’s those College Football teams that are carrying the future talent of the NFL.
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý In hockey, however, scouts are on them early and junior hockey like the WHL is where the action is. Those are the future NHL players and for those that don’t make the NHL out of it are off to university and to the professional leagues in Europe.
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý The NHL sees no reason to postpone someone’s career and do not have the rules that the NBA or the NFL have regarding age requirements.
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý For some people the student-athlete at the college level is simply there to sell tickets to their games and bolster sales. Many students wouldn’t become college level athletes if those requirements weren’t in place and besides the NBA’s one-year-clause and the NFL’s three-year- clause doesn’t actually allow for that individual to get their degree. Degrees are four years and often for athletes a little longer as they don’t take full course loads in order to be able to be a student-athlete.
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý When I first started thinking about the situations surrounding professional athletes, I figured it was a good thing they had to go to university as a transition – learn how to thrive in more competitive atmospheres and how to handle yourself; but, as I read more about it, it’s not really needed… Look at before the NBA’s rule came into effect, LeBron James went straight to the pros and is considered one of the best out there. His transition went well, so is that college aspect needed and should it be written into the rules?
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý For the NHL, the junior programs really act as that transitional step; do you have what it takes or not? That’s usually determined in those junior hockey years where they experience elite competition and even play on national teams in competitions like the World Juniors.
ÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌýÌý So, although at first I thought it was odd that many professional sports almost require athletes to do a transitional university tour, it does actually make more sense to me the way the NHL operates. If you’re good enough, you’re good enough at whatever age, and that determination has already been followed for at least three years within the junior hockey programs out there.
