College Campus USA – It is now a month since school started in early September.
Viliami and his University of Utah football “Utes” have played four perfect games in a row, with no losses (4-0).
However, he’s beginning to feel the weight of his classroom workload competing with his regimented football routines.
Viliami calls his mother almost every night.
She reminds him of his school work, class attendance, and extra curricula readings.
These are loaded on top of his rigorous football training in the early morning, and all afternoon.
But Mrs. Hina Toutai was a Drill Sargent of Viliami’s academic success in high school, and even football rigorous training schedules are no excuses to neglect homework, and writing term papers.
“Playing football is an extra activity that you want to do for pleasure outside of the classroom,” Mrs. Toutai told her son in high school.
“Your school work comes first. Neglect your homework, and term papers, and you don’t play football.”
Viliami enrolled for the first semester at the University of Utah in English Communications 101, Algebra I, Psychology 101, and Statistics Introduction 101.
His mother approved of them all, and she expects “A” grades only.
Viliami’s daily schedule
MONDAYS – FRIDAYS:
6:00 – 8:00 AM team workout/weight training.
8:00 AM breakfast.
9:00 AM – 12:00 PM classroom attendance.
12:00 PM lunch.
1:00 – 2:00 PM more classroom attendance.
2:00 – 3:00 PM academic counselor tutoring.
3:00 PM – 6:00 PM field practices, snacks served.
7:00 PM dinner.
8:00 PM – 10:00 PM mandatory study time.
10:00 PM curfew.
SATURDAYS:
8:00 AM breakfast.
9:00 AM team meeting.
11:00 AM team bus departs for stadium.**
12:00 PM team lunch served at stadium cafeteria.
1:00 PM game-day stadium warmups.
4:00 – 7:00 PM home-game time.
7:00 PM dinner served at stadium cafeteria.
8:00 PM team bus departs from stadium.
10:00 PM curfew.
SUNDAYS:
Free day.
10:00 PM curfew.
**Traveling to away games the team departs on Fridays.
The Rigors of College Football Life
Those are the terms in the Toutai household; Viliami was an honor student in high school, and an outstanding athlete; transitioning to the University of Utah did not change Mrs. Toutai’s academic rules.
On top of a full-time classroom load – minimum 12-credit-hour load per semester – his football obligations are a gruelling demand only Superman could keep up with.
Viliami decided that the glamour of college football life also has its downside: He now has no life!
There’s no time to hang-out with friends at the shopping mall after school.
No time to flirt with the girls between classes – and there are so many pretty ladies on campus…Oh My God!
Nor does he have a moment to catch a short afternoon nap.
Football practice activities occupy his entire day before and after classes: weight training; unit field drills; films reviewing; coaching staff meeting; entire team field drills; more films reviewing; individual physical checkup and muscle toning; nutritionists put on demonstrations on healthy diets; and more films reviewing.
The Thrills of American College Football
What is the big incentive for such rigorous sacrifice?
From over a million high school football players across America, only 71,000 college football players are chosen.
Ironically, many high school “stars” are “benchwarmers” in college football.
And when Saturday afternoon arrives, the roar of 80,000 cheering student fans, and booster club members in a major university’s football stadium, is the dream of every American boy.
To run onto the field with 80 teammates alongside sexy cheerleaders and pompom boys and girls, drove Viliami insane that he’s even there.
The deafening blared sound of John Phillip Souza marches echoed from the university’s 200-body marching band actually rocks the stadium ground like an earthquake.
“This is whole football scene on Saturday afternoon is out of this world,” Viliami told her mother over the phone.
“Our Palo Alto High school state championship games were like a funeral procession, compared to the madness in college football.”
“Well, son. enjoy it while it lasts,” Mrs. Hina Toutai congratulated Viliami.
“It will all be over in four years. Get your education, and you’ll come home and build your future while your body is still healthy.”
(Author’s Note: The story is based on true accounts of real life events, but the names are fictional to protect the identities of all actors.)
(Photo by University of Utah, article by Sione A. Mokofisi. He’s a syndicated journalist who lives in Tonga, but his opinion does not reflect the editorial policy of this Website. He’s Director of English, Journalism & Business Management at Tonga International Academy, Haveluloto, Tongatapu; he's also the editor of "Niuvākai-Tongan Observer" newspaper and Website.)