ABSTRACT
The athletic landscape has continually changed when it comes to the role academics play in the lives of student athletes. Mixed messages about the importance of academics and athletics appear to occur quite frequently, either through perceptions or observations. This chapter sort out necessary terminology and contemporary issues that affect the academic development of student athletes suggests a framework for school counselors to use in their roles within K-12 settings to address these matters positively. Female high school students perceived getting high grades and leadership status as more important factors, and athletics were not significantly linked to these factors. Males also projected the identity of a scholar athlete to be more status-enhancing than females, who expressed a preference for the role of scholar for this purpose than that of athlete or scholar athlete. Coaches have been found to be important sources of student athlete's moral development, primarily because they set the tone and example for teams and their moral climate.
