Calendar . Volume 08 | Issue 11

Volume 08, Issue 11

When Will Colleges Start Recruiting Babies?

Michael Catt

Finally, someone is addressing the madness of colleges offering future scholarships to 8th and 9th graders. The National Assocation of Basketball Coaches board of directors is asking that college coaches hold off on offering scholarships to these middle school kids.

Coach Billy Gillispie has offered scholarships to a California 8th grader after seeing him play in April of 2008. The rule for colleges is still not enough. As if colleges have integrity and concern for children, they really want coaches to wait until June following a high schooler’s sophomore season. Yeah, that’s when they are mature enough to make that kind of decision.

Sports is out of control in this country. We are asking kids to make life decisions just because they can bounce a ball. The Scriptures speak of not laying hands on anyone lightly or flippantly. We are not to give certain platforms to a novice. If the church followed the way of the world, we would have high school kids pastoring churches and serving on the deacon body.

It’s frightening the lack of maturity shown by these coaches. It’s even more frightening that, ultimately, this mindset might enter the church and lead us to take another step toward telling the older generations, “You aren’t important.”