Should amateur athletes be allowed to leave school to turn pro?

Statement of the Problem: This research paper will attempt to answer the question, “Should amateur athletes be allowed to leave school to turn pro early”? In answering this complex question, thereare many considerations to make. First of all, any person has a right to work in this country. Leaving school early to turn pro is the equivalent of a person pursuing his or her dream job in theworkforce. Many successful people did not complete their schooling but created a successful quality of life for themselves. Although this is not the norm, there were no sanctions to prevent a person fromachieving their dreams, whether or not they have completed their education. Therefore, it is my opinion that a student-athlete should consult a variety of independent sources to make an informed decisionfor themselves and their families as to whether turning pro is the right decision for them or not.
Methodology: Thorough research was conducted via the internet articles and newspaper articles.Research Findings: There has been much discussion over the past few years over the increasing number of star college athletes leaving college early to pursue a professional career. There is no questionthat some of these athletes are leaving before they are ready. There are quite a few athletes that are very successful when turning pro early. One objection to this growing trend is that it disruptsteam planning and efforts to recruit on the collegiate level. Another objection is that it lets some athletes make a bad choice to leave school when in the long run finishing their education would bebetter for than playing professionally. This does not justify the effort to deter young people from pursuing their careers when they believe it is the right thing for them to do.
Some athletes haveleft early to try their luck in the pros and discovered that the decision was a mistake. The outcome of turning pro early can also depend on the sport the athlete is trying to play. For example,...