Ron Mercer On Athletics & Education

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                 [The Boston Globe Online][Boston.com]

                 [Boston Globe Online / Sports]

                 COMMENTARY
                 Some worthy advice

                 NBA lockout presents a chance to open up young minds

                 By Ron Mercer, 12/20/98

                 Celtics guard Ron Mercer, awaiting a resolution to the
                 NBA's labor dispute, shares his views on athletics and
                 the importance of a quality education.

                 For the first time in a very long time, I have been able
                 to spend the holidays at home with my family and friends.
                 There's a saying that there's a silver lining in every
                 cloud. If there is a silver lining in the cloud of the
                 present situation in the NBA, it has to be that we have
                 had a chance to evaluate the significance of our lives
                 without basketball.

                 Lately there has been a lot of debate about the
                 Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System and its
                 affect, specifically, on athletes. Many high school
                 athletes don't think that their ability to participate in
                 athletics should be linked to their performance on the
                 MCAS. Many educators think that if an athlete can not
                 perform in the classroom, then why should he or she be
                 allowed to perform in athletics? I am not here to pass
                 judgment on either opinion. I simply want to share some
                 thoughts with high school athletes on the importance of a
                 good balance of education and athletics.

                 First, I must acknowledge that I have been truly blessed
                 to make it to the NBA. However, I am part of the lucky
                 one percent of all athletes who make it to a professional
                 sports league. For many talented basketball players, hoop
                 dreams always remain a dream. When I left the University
                 of Kentucky after my sophomore season with the Wildcats,
                 I made a commitment to myself to finish my education, and
                 plan to return to school next offseason.

                 The glamour and bright lights of a professional career
                 can be very enticing. But a professional career can also
                 be very scary, especially if you are not prepared. The
                 foundation of a good education definitely carries over
                 into a professional sports career. Long past are the days
                 when an athlete can depend solely on athletic ability to
                 get through life. Education is very important. The
                 average sports career is 3-5 years and can come to an
                 abrupt end if you are injured.

                 It was reported recently that 50 percent of 10th graders
                 in Massachusetts failed the math portion of the MCAS, 26
                 percent scored in the failing category in English, and 34
                 percent were in the bottom level in science. Now you may
                 wonder how I use any of these subjects in my everyday
                 life

                 1. My very livelihood is hanging in the balance over a
                 present labor debate of mathematical figures and
                 percentages.

                 2. Can you imagine my embarrassment if I couldn't master
                 the English language in an interview after a great game?

                 3. And science may be the most important. The body is the
                 greatest scientific machine ever created, and my body is
                 the tool I need to perform my job successfully.

                 Malcolm X once said, ''Education is our passport to the
                 future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who are
                 prepared for it today.'' So as this debate continues, I
                 want to advise all students to give some thought to
                 preparing for their future, regardless of whether or not
                 it includes a career in sports.
                 Finally, I want to wish everyone in the Boston area happy
                 holidays and a joyous New Year. As we all look forward to
                 great things in 1999, let's hope one of them will be an
                 NBA season.

                 This story ran on page D18 of the Boston Globe on
                 12/20/98.
                 © Copyright 1998 Globe Newspaper Company.