Philosophy of the Student-Athlete

An ongoing debate among the faithful at Catholic colleges and universities is the weight which athletics should have within a budget or emphasis at an academic institution. Although the unrealisticness of the proposition makes this debate primarily theoretical, there is a crowd that says athletics should be defunded or even completely rid of in order to better promote the education and faith that schools such as Boston College advertise. 

Division 1 athletics, especially within a premier conference like the ACC or Hockey East, indubitably attracts more partying, excessive drinking, and the worldly “college experience” that is beholden by the average person. Within this discourse, however, there often is a massive piece left out, which is what Division 1 athletics can do for the faith of the athletes themselves at a place like Boston College.

In his opening press conference, Head Football Coach Bill O’Brien mentions his experience at 8 AM Mass at St. Mary’s Chapel amidst his answer for “How do you get the players you need to accommodate your vision.” He did this to emphasize the beauty of BC’s campus, but there is a deeper truth involved in that answer. 

Boston College, being a Catholic school, allows athletes to interact with their faith in an accessible way. Practice times fluctuate depending on the sport, but BC’s 7-8 different daily mass times, including an 11:30 AM Conte Forum Mass curated for athletics specifically, along with their 10 AM Sunday Mass times make Boston College a better option for those who want to fit faith into a demanding schedule.

Many Christian Division 1 athletes struggle to maintain faith in a program where their worth is contingent on their on-field performance. While BC cannot completely change the collegiate system, teams have found pockets for prayer and reflection. 

Coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein, Head Coach of the Women’s Lacrosse Team, begins practices with 10 minutes of silence, where players lay down in the center of the field to pray, meditate, or just center the mind ahead of a grueling day of drills and scrimmages. 

The football team has a full Mass before every game, celebrated by team chaplain Fr. Jack Butler. Venues range from the art-filled Gasson 100 to the plainest of hotel mezzanines, but the spirit remains the same. 

Much like a coach, Father Butler makes the message in each Mass loud, concise, and clear, often emphasizing the perseverance/strength of Jesus’ life, the brotherhood in the context of Christian love, and the higher purpose that each player has. Immediately following the concluding rites, players depart for the game, either via buses to the opposing stadium or the famous Eagle Walk to Alumni Stadium. 

Both examples are meant to synthesize the act of an individual playing for a team with the individual’s role in the Church. This way, lessons taught in prayer and Mass are realized on the field, instead of having the values of Christian surrender and the brute power found in sports contradict.

Above all else, the Christian Organization Athletes in Action’s presence in the Athletics Department truly shows the possibilities for the Christian Athlete at Boston College. Starting with future NFL Safety Justin Simmons, AIA has become the cornerstone of the Christian life for the athlete. 

Hosted in Yawkey Athletics Center, the weekly program discusses obstacles and insights that Athletes particularly have in the devout life, along with fundamental guides to prayer, vocation, and scripture. The community boasts roughly 40-50 members with smaller group discussions hosted sporadically throughout the week as well. 

Not only is this a welcoming community for the current athletes at Boston College, but the closeness and collective desire to know Christ has brought many alumni to return as well. The most notable of these alumni is Mark Herzlich, who had a decorated football career at both the collegiate and professional levels. 

Alongside his wife Danielle, the couple leads the group that has kindled, reawoken, or reinforced the faith of athletes all across campus. As of now, AIA has a representative in nearly every major sport, with numbers only growing. For 6 days and 23 hours a week, it is impossible not to let the burdensome expectations and demanding schedule become the center of life. Nevertheless, for one hour, AIA hopes to shed those weights, leaving our true identities as sons and daughters of God, a yoke that is easy and a light burden.

Athletics may heighten some of the vices in our society for student life, yet these high-level sports can expose the faith to athletes who were often never allowed time to encounter Christ previously. BC’s unique position as a Catholic school attracts faith-filled leaders and allows for more accessibility to faith groups and sacraments than the average school. By taking a peek into the Christian life of BC Athletics, one can see the eternal fruits being cultivated through the means of high-level sports.