I have two reasons for writing this letter. My first reason is to agree with Rodney Hampton’s letter about how athletes are treated differently than normal students if they make a mistake.

My second reason is that student athletes are just like everyone else on this campus.

The first reason I am writing this letter is to agree with Rodney Hampton. Why does the Daily print a police log for the normal students, but if it’s a “student athlete,” they have to run a front-page story?

After reading this letter I turned to the sports section and saw this: “UConn star El-Amin arrested.”

My first thought was why is the Iowa State Daily printing this? This guy doesn’t even go to Iowa State, and I’m sure he has enough trouble dealing with it himself.

Why does the whole world need to know? They also stated that a dozen teenagers showed up at the police station and cheered as he eluded reporters and dived into a cruiser.

Why were they cheering, because he just won a national championship or because he smokes marijuana?

The second reason I am writing this letter is to state that student athlete’s are like everyone else on campus. They attend the same lecture halls and fill out the same bubble sheets for tests. They live in dorm rooms on campus or in apartments in Ames just like normal students.

I was very involved in my high school. I played football, ran cross country, played basketball and ran track. All that was in addition to being in the band, singing in the chorus and being in the musicals. So I guess I was termed a “student athlete” in high school.

When I came to Iowa State, I knew I could only participate in one thing. I ended up joining the marching band. I may not be considered a “student athlete,” but I have had the opportunity to travel to some of the football and basketball games.

We may not be as well recognized as some of the other programs, but we do spend a lot of time practicing.

One of my friends is in the football program, and I talked to him about how much time they spend practicing. I have to respect these guys that can practice that much and still have time for their academics.

I have had the opportunity to meet many people on this campus. Some are student athletes and some are not. Of the student athletes I have met, I knew some were in a program and some I just happened to meet by chance. The thing that bugs me the most is when people find out I know someone on one of the more popular programs, they become jealous or want to be my best friend.

These same people don’t even care that one of my friends from high school runs on the cross country team. He even had his picture in the Daily, and I hung it up on my door, but they could care less.

Student athletes are just like normal students no matter what sport they participate in. They all attend this university just like you and me.

To emphasize this point even more, one of the basketball players from the men’s team is in my accounting class. One day, the teacher pointed him out, and he seemed to hate the fact that she was singling him out in a class of 250.

Would she have done the same thing if that were the guy who set the curve on the last exam?

Some of you might think that student athletes have it easy because they are being paid to go to school here.

What about National Merit Scholars? Some of my friends are going here for free because of their grades. They are stressed out enough trying to keep a certain GPA, and they don’t have to attend practices. You should respect the athletes who are on scholarships because they spend a lot of time practicing. I’m sure it’s just as hard trying to keep their GPA up.

When you do go to sports events, show some school spirit and cheer for the Cyclones, not an individual. When you walk around campus or sit in your class and recognize a “student athlete,” don’t let that keep you from paying attention or point them out to the people sitting around you.

If you still don’t believe they are the same as you or me, then I suggest you talk to one. You’ll find out they have the same problems that a normal college student has.

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Curtis Cretin

Sophomore

Agricultural studies