Issue 27(1)
Becoming
a Master Student Athlete. (2006). Dave
Ellis, Doug Toft (Contributing Editor). New
York, NY:
Houghton Mifflin. 340 pp, $45.96.
ISBN # 0-618-49323-9.
Review
by: Kristan
Venegas
Assistant Professor
Niesha
Whitman
Graduate Assistant
College
of Education
University
of Nevada,
Reno
Becoming
a master student athlete
is nothing if not ambitious. Using a strategy of inclusiveness,
the text offers dozens of techniques to inspire college student
athletes towards maintaining academic and athletic success. Strategies
are based in research and practice, and are fine-tuned to the
unique needs of student athletes. The text is based on previous
editions of Becoming a master student by Dave Ellis
and includes the insights of contributing editor Doug Toft. This
particular version of the text is organized into 12 interactive
workbook-like chapters. In this review, we consider the text from
the perspectives of a former student athlete, a faculty advisor,
and former full-time academic advisor. These perspectives are
especially meaningful because the book is intended for primary
use by these audiences.
Based
on prior experience as a student-athlete, one author recommends
Becoming a master student athlete as a valuable resource
for student athletes making the transition from high school to
college. Because the text includes a number of activities, it
requires time and effort on the student athlete's part in order
to benefit from readings and reflections. The book encourages
the reader to explore the text and then go directly to the chapters
of most interest. For example, the discovery and intentional journal
entry system highlighted in the introduction appears at the end
of each chapter. This method gives the student athlete the opportunity
to solve problems while reflecting on the emotions or feelings
and allows the student athlete the opportunity to integrate strategies
specific to their learning style while providing reflective tools
for future use.
Another important consideration for
this text is its use as an advisement and instructional tool.
Advisors and instructors will find a wealth of strategies that
can enable any student, but especially student athletes, refine
personal and academic goals. Exercises such as the "discovery
wheel" and "learning style inventory" can be used for more informed
advising or as a means for beginning purposeful relationships
with new advisees. When thinking about this text as a primary
guide for teaching college transition courses, an advisor/instructor
should purposefully select the types of activities and discussions
which might be most useful to their particular student population
and the length of the course. Meaningfully incorporating all of
the ideas provided in this text would prove to be quite a challenge
whether working within a quarter or semester teaching time frame.
Initial and contributing authors
should be applauded for compiling so many useful college success
strategies into one volume. However, new users may feel overwhelmed
during their initial interactions with the text; they should plan
to revisit the work so they do not miss the many important suggestions
for inspiring the creation of a "master student" mentality.
