The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

The Channels

The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

The Channels

The news site of Santa Barbara City College.

The Channels

Athletes make the grade at SBCC

City College student athletes are getting the job done on and off the field with 85 percent of all athletes being successful in their classes, according to the college’s first grade check.

However, 10 student athletes were placed on academic probation, four were suspended, and 144 were given “red flag” alerts.

A “red flag” alert means a student athlete has received a negative comment, has three or more unexcused absences in a particular class, or has a grade of C minus or lower.

“The majority of our student athletes continue to excel,” said Ingrid Schmitz, the grade check coordinator and student program advisor for the Student Development and Counseling Services office. ” However, there are still the 15 percent or so who need assistance,” she added.

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“We are able to target them early and direct them to the appropriate assistance programs available. Student success is our goal,” said Schmitz, also an instructor for the Physical Education department.

Probation occurs when the athlete has three or more unexcused absences regardless of the grade they are receiving. A suspension occurs when the student athlete does not follow through with the conditions stated in the two-week probation contract.

The suspension of some football players this semester minimally affected the team. The student athletes suspended were offensive players out of a 90-player team.

“It didn’t affect [the team] that much because just a couple of players were suspended,” said football player Ferrari Welch. 

City College monitors student athlete’s grades to help them achieve academic and athletic success. “The team must never forget that education comes first and basketball comes secondary,” said women’s basketball head coach Sandrine Krul. “They are student athletes.”

The women’s tennis team was honored last year for having the highest team grade point average in the state. Also, the Western State Conference recognized five softball players last year as the top student athletes in the conference.

Schimtz is currently coordinating the second round of grade checks.

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