Today, April 6th, we celebrate National Student-Athlete Day (NSAD)—a day to honor the nearly 8 million high school and 500,000 college student-athletes across the United States who balance grueling athletic schedules with academic excellence and community impact. It’s a day to recognize those who maintain GPAs of 3.0 or higher while excelling in sports like track and field, baseball, volleyball, and lacrosse. But this year’s celebration carries an extra layer of significance: April 6th also marks the anniversary of the first modern Olympic Games, held in Greece in 1896—a time when athletics were about glory, grit, and amateur spirit, not endorsements or paychecks.
In a previous article, we explored how the advent of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) deals has reshaped college sports, often at the expense of its soul. Once a proving ground for character, teamwork, and education, college athletics now risks becoming a marketplace where young athletes chase the “Jerry Maguire” mantra of “Show me the money!” instead of embracing the traditions of their schools, the pride of alumni fans, or the value of a degree. This shift doesn’t just affect college kids—it trickles down to high school, where impressionable athletes now dream more of sponsorships than scholarships. But on this National Student-Athlete Day, let’s look back to the foundations of amateur athletics and the icons who remind us what it’s all about.
Take Eddie George, the Heisman-winning Ohio State running back. After his final year of eligibility in 1995, he could’ve bolted for the NFL without a backward glance. Instead, he returned to OSU during the offseason to finish his degree, proving that education mattered as much as the gridiron. Then there’s Archie Griffin, the only two-time Heisman winner, who not only brought glory to the Buckeyes but stayed to earn his degree, cementing his legacy as a true student-athlete. Clark Kellogg, another Ohio State standout, transitioned from basketball stardom to a broadcasting career built on the discipline and skills he honed as a student-athlete. These legends didn’t need NIL to define their worth—they found it in the balance of sports and scholarship.
Closer to home, our son Eddy embodies this ethos. A three-time all state student-athlete in high school, he won districts and advanced to states in swimming before going on to compete at the Division I level. While swimming D1, he took on a full-time course load and committed to Army ROTC—all with little to no financial support for his sport. Eddy’s story isn’t unique among athletes in low-spotlight NCAA programs like swimming, pistol & rifle, fencing, and crew. Unlike football or basketball stars raking in NIL cash, these student-athletes rarely see a dime. Even at Ohio State, where Jesse Owens once ran his way to history with little more than determination and a dream, today’s swimmers, fencers, and rowers chase the D1 experience without lucrative deals. Instead, they carry a pay-it-forward, servant-leadership mindset—competing for pride, not profit.
And let’s give credit where it’s due across rivalry lines. My good “friendenemy,” SGT John Tackett, a retired U.S. Army Ranger and diehard Michigan fan who inspired me to write this and add to a previous NIL article, reminds me often of Jim Harbaugh’s 2023 Michigan Wolverines. Bleeding maize and blue, Harbaugh led the last true pre-NIL national championship team—a squad of unpaid student-athletes who played for pride, not paychecks. Before leaving for the NFL, Harbaugh showed that the old-school spirit of college sports could still triumph, even as the NIL era loomed.
Military Academy Graduates: Duty First, Sports Second
This servant-leadership ethos finds its pinnacle in military academy graduates who served God, family, and country before chasing professional major league sports careers. These athletes didn’t just balance school and sports—they honored their commitments to national service, often delaying lucrative opportunities to uphold a higher calling. Here are a few who inspire us:
- Roger Staubach (U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1965): Known as “Captain America,” Staubach won the 1963 Heisman Trophy as Navy’s quarterback. After graduation, he served four years in the Navy, including a voluntary tour in Vietnam as a supply officer, before joining the Dallas Cowboys in 1969. His faith and family values guided him through a Hall of Fame NFL career, where he led the Cowboys to two Super Bowl titles and earned six Pro Bowl nods. Staubach’s journey shows that service to country can precede—and enhance—a legendary sports legacy.
- David Robinson (U.S. Naval Academy, Class of 1987): Nicknamed “The Admiral,” Robinson was a two-time consensus All-American at Navy, leading the Midshipmen to the Elite Eight. Drafted first overall by the San Antonio Spurs in 1987, he chose to fulfill his two-year Navy commitment as a civil engineer before joining the NBA. A devout Christian, Robinson’s commitment to God and family shone through his 14-year career, where he won two championships, an MVP award, and 10 All-Star selections. His story is a testament to putting service above self.
- Chad Hennings (U.S. Air Force Academy, Class of 1988): An Outland Trophy winner as Air Force’s top defensive lineman, Hennings was drafted by the Dallas Cowboys in 1988 but served four years as an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot, flying 45 missions in the Gulf War. After earning his captain’s wings, he joined the Cowboys in 1992, winning three Super Bowls over nine seasons. Hennings, a man of deep faith, prioritized country and family before sports, embodying the servant-leader ideal.
These military academy grads didn’t chase fame or fortune straight out of school. They served first—Staubach in Vietnam, Robinson in naval engineering, Hennings in combat—before stepping onto the pro stage. Their paths mirror the amateur spirit of the first Olympics and offer a blueprint for today’s student-athletes navigating the NIL landscape.
A Call to the Past and Future
This brings us to April 6, 1896, when the first modern Olympics revived the ancient Greek tradition of amateur competition. Athletes competed for olive wreaths, not million-dollar deals, embodying a purity that echoes what high school and college sports once were—and could be again. Student-athletes today inherit that legacy, one where teamwork, responsibility, and physical endurance build not just champions, but citizens. Yes, travel and tough choices between practice and exams test their resolve, but those challenges forge the skills that carry them into adulthood.
Yet, the NIL era threatens to erode this foundation. When high schoolers see college stars cashing in, they’re less likely to care about their school’s history or the alumni who cheer from the stands. The focus shifts from earning a degree to landing a deal, leaving behind the likes of George, Griffin, Kellogg—and even unsung heroes like Eddy—as relics of a bygone era. It’s a stark contrast to the Olympics of 1896, where the reward was honor, not a bank account, and to athletes like Jesse Owens, who achieved greatness with next to nothing but left a legacy of inspiration.
So, on this National Student-Athlete Day, let’s challenge the current generation to look beyond the paycheck. Celebrate the kids who still hit the books as hard as they hit the pool, the range, or the river—athletes like Eddy who juggle ROTC, academics, and D1 swimming without NIL handouts. Inspire them with the stories of those who finished what they started—degree in hand—or served their country before chasing pro dreams, like Staubach, Robinson, and Hennings. And as we honor the first Olympics today, let’s remind ourselves that athletics, at its best, isn’t about profit—it’s about purpose.
To every student-athlete out there: You’re more than a highlight reel or a sponsorship. You’re the next Eddie George, the next Archie Griffin, the next Clark Kellogg, the next Jesse Owens. You could be the next Staubach, Robinson, or Hennings—serving God, family, and country before lighting up the pros. Happy National Student-Athlete Day—keep the spirit alive.
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