n average game, than ten students pay in book fees. High schools rely on sports as an attention grabber, and a source of income. Any school corporation that does not have sports, as it’s second priority is a failing school corporation. The teachercoaches play a very important role in these student’s lives. They are the ones who spend the extra two to three hours outside of the classroom with the athlete. Paying these people more is definitely worth the money. Most high school athletes are looking for one thing, stardom. They want to shine as bright as they can, as much as they can. Sometimes it makes one wonder if these students just slip by in high school academics, and do anything and everything they can to be the next Kevin Garnett or J.D. Drew, or Ty Tryon. An excerpt from article “Go Pro, Young Man” in The Daily Illini, reads;“Hi, I’m 6-foot-9, I have a 40-inch vertical, long arms and I’m a rebounding machine. In short, I got game. I love basketball too. I have been blessed. Scouts love me. I am a certain lottery pick in the NBA draft. I can’t pass up this opportunity, and so I will go ahead and declare myself ready to be entered into the NBA draft. By the way- did I mention that I am only 18 years old? It’s true- in about a month I will be going to the prom. I am excited about that.But it’s been real weird lately. Ever since I made this decision to play pro basketball next year, people have been saying a lot of nasty stuff. They say that I am making a big mistake, that I am ruining the game I love on both the professional and the high school level. Luckily it’s not all been directed just at me. They are saying the same things about other high school players, like Eddy Curry and Tyson Chandler. Even some college players have been feeling the heat, including Zach Randolph, Gilbert Arenas, Steven Hunter, Jason Richardson, Bobby Simmons and Micha...
