Athletes are role models, Utah State students say
Utah State University athletes are often held to high standards in the eyes of the public.
So, how does the public feel when it sees athletes like Jerome Dennis, who was sentenced in January for possession of stolen merchandise, or Donta Candler, who was arrested that month for forgery, theft and possession of marijuana?
Lt. Steve Milne of the Utah State University Police Department said the two most common problems with anyone under the department’s jurisdiction are alcohol and theft. The problems are, however, not caused by athletes alone.
Brian Evans, assistant Athletics director, said, “Athletes are not more inclined to misbehave than other students. It’s just when student athletes do something, it is larger in the public eye.”
Milne said, “We don’t see more of a particular incident with athletes than with any other student organization. Considering the number of athletes, our trouble with them is small,” he said.
He said the number of athletes and the number of people arrested is small compared to the general student population.
However, student athletes are sometimes seen as role models and live more public lives than the regular student body.
Rance Pugmire, Athletics director, said, “Normally we’ll have some incidents from time to time, but compared to our peer institutions, I’d put our behavior up against anybody.”
Evans said, “We let them know they are in a fish bowl, and that they should be cognizant that they can be identified as student athletes.”
Brian Haddock, senior majoring in horticulture/liberal arts, said, “Everyone looks up to them and knows who they are, but they just come here to play. They have a right to some privacy in their personal life, but they are thrown into a position of a role model and know if they do something wrong it’ll be made known to the public.”
Tyler Olsen, ASUSU Athletics vice president, said, “Any athlete in general is a role model that people look at.”
Some say being in such a position generates a large responsibility for the athletes at Utah State University.
Pugmire said athletes are absolutely held to higher standards.
“[The mistakes the athletes make] are not always criminal. All of our coaches set high standards and team rules. This holds the athletes to a higher accountability subject to punishment that others aren’t,” he said.
Olsen said, “They usually get a stiffer penalty than someone not in the spotlight.”
Pugmire said when a student athlete breaks a team rule, there are many different measures that can be taken. He said sometimes the coach and the athlete will work out the punishment to be anything from lost playing time or travel time to a loss of financial aid.
He said when an athlete commits a crime, Athletics lets the legal system run its course and doesn’t interfere.
“We want the athlete to be treated like any other student,” he said.
Senior Jonathan Hollist, majoring in mechanical engineering, said, “[Athletes] should be told to uphold the same laws as everyone else. They shouldn’t be treated any different because they are athletes.”
Haddock said athletes shouldn’t receive any different treatment, good or bad, from any other student.
Shari Phippen, senior majoring in public relations, said, “[Athletes] represent our school. There has to be a line where someone says, ‘You can’t get off lightly just because you’re an athlete.’ If [a crime] goes unpunished, what does it say about the school’s respect for the law?”
Hollist said, “They are just regular people making mistakes. It’s unfortunate if they do something that makes them ineligible or affects the team.”
Olsen said, “They are human and make mistakes like anyone does.”
Pugmire said, “We take it very seriously. Athletes hold a certain measure of responsibility that others don’t. We are adamant about making sure they understand that with great opportunity comes great responsibility. Some handle it well, and some don’t.”
-julia@cc.usu.edu