If you ask anyone at the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) about any social divides, two topics will arise. First would be the class divides. But this was purposely created by the school especially between rats and upperclassmen. There is meant to be a divide through years of service to the school. However, the prominent divide that wasn’t intentional was between those who compete in the NCAA and those who do not. The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) is a pathway for college athletes to earn scholarships and to compete in their respective sport. The majority of people at the institute would agree that competing in the NCAA isn’t what creates this problem but rather the implications it has with VMI. Problems that very few schools in the country would have to experience or have the need to address. In the eyes of some, the school’s recruitment of certain individuals and their reasons for being at VMI while also the NCAA athletes being able to escape some of the rigors of the institute. The other side sees that the standards that nonathletes hold themselves and others to are unreasonable. While also not fully understanding the challenges and rigors of being a division one athlete.
Thus, how is this problem able to be solved or at the very least subdued? In my opinion (as an athlete) there needs to be more open conversation about this topic. Everyone knows about this underlying animosity; however, it isn’t acknowledged. So, the ability to flesh it out would take a great step further. Has this started to occur? Yes, but nowhere near the extent, it needs to be. There is almost a segregation between athletes and non-athletes. At dinner, athletes have their own times due to their practices occurring. Most athletes room with each other after their fourth-class year. In a sense, the institute is setting you up for failure. Are there clear steps we can take to socialize athletes with regular cadets? No, but one could be to show cadets what practices and some of the activates athletes ‘get to miss out on.’ This could be through giving more pathways for managerial positions or places around these teams. This could be like student managers that help or people who run social media for the teams. This would require incentives at first, but it would allow cadets to establish relationships with athletes while also seeing daily life. Another way could be joint practice sessions between them. Maybe in the summer or when the sport is ‘out of season,’ joint strength and conditioning programs/sessions could help create some comradery.
So how did this division occur or deepen? The first part of the problem is the perception that the majority of the athletes here don’t truly fit the schools’ ambitions and lifestyles. Thus, resulting in ‘problem students.’ This is a person to me who did come to VMI on a full athletic scholarship and did not understand what the school is about. However, to combat this I have gone through the majority of what my fellow peers endure as well. Whether that is hell week, the rat line, or parades, I have had to endure the same activities. Do I want to commission? No. Do I agree with some of the schools’ values? No. But the majority of NCAA athletes endure it to make the most of their situation. The word ‘majority will be brought up an excessive number of times as it is the minority of cadets and athletes that cause the major problems. Whether it is targeting NCAA athletes or blatant disrespect to school and what it is trying to achieve. It is a two-way street. However, with the hardships of being a cadet here, NCAA coaches have learned to recruit players who would be able to withstand VMI. As head coach of VMI basketball, Dan Earl, states that a “high character, a hard-working young man who we are excited to add to our VMI Basketball family” is key (VMI, 2021). While head coach of football, Scott Wachenheim, understands that athletics and institute life go hand in hand. Regarding to the freshman players that “matriculation day is huge at VMI, and you could tell the freshmen are occupied with that as with every year and I’m thankful to get that going” (VMI, 2021). Likewise, high character people at VMI succeed whether you’re the best football player or the best potential army recruit. But it takes a group effort to succeed. At the end of the day you will eat, sleep, and interact with athletes and non-athletes. So, the more animosity between the two parties, the more unappealing it is to both current and prospective students. I briefly spoke to an S2 captain on the situation. He commentated that a “combination or some way to bring perspective to both sides would go a long way.” But he also mentioned that “the different types of people at the institute whether it is for basketball or the marine corps, going through fairly similar physical and mental training. It is just viewed and treated differently by some.” This brings me to the second reason why this problem needs to be addressed.
There is a perception that NCAA athletes can get out of ‘rat’ training or PT time with their respective ROTC times. This isn’t the case as the NCAA schedule puts more strain physically and mentally. An average day would be a two and half practice followed by an hour lift. Now I am not trying to say a life of an athlete at the institute is harder and that you should pity them. Especially as non-athletes experience hardships just as bad in other ways. But after asking non-athlete Alpha company rats, I concluded that they mentality is slowly shifting towards acceptance in this area. The common answers were that they ‘for the most part they appreciate the ‘difficulties’ they endure. However, they also stated that the minority of athletes take this ‘growing respect of their peer’s for granted. This hasn’t always been the case as there have been multiple of my brother rats who have explained that their ‘dykes’ have told them pre-matriculation to not ‘accept’ or ‘treat properly’ as they are “insert derogatory term.” But just over half of the rats interviewed agreed that they would like to do some sort of training with an NCAA team or in the facilities. With one rat saying that just to “experience a childhood dream of being a division one basketball player would be cool at the least.” Thus, this problem still lacks a finite solution, but after researching and asking people who have different perspectives of mine, I can see possible outlets to help. However, it is up to the board to investigate changing this narrative but also the corp. If they want to fix this, they will have to change the culture at VMI. Which is easier said than done. But I have faith.
Bibliography:
“Keydet Basketball Inks Houser, Thacker In Early Signing Period – Virginia Military Institute”. Virginia Military Institute, 2021, https://vmikeydets.com/news/2021/11/12/mens-basketball-keydet-basketball-inks-houser-thacker-in-early-signing-period.aspx. Accessed 30 Nov 2021.
“Football Heads Into Stretch Run Of Training Camp – Virginia Military Institute”. Virginia Military Institute, 2021, https://vmikeydets.com/news/2021/8/22/football-heads-into-stretch-run-of-training-camp.aspx. Accessed 30 Nov 2021.
Rowe, Lewis, Interview with S2 captain (Name remains undisclosed), Conducted on the 17th of November.
Rowe, Lewis, Survey of alpha company Rats, 13 participants, 17th of November.
HR: None