Vicky Smith
Managing Editor
@pinkwritinglady
The Lone Star Conference has announced that 58 Cameron student-athletes are on the Commissioner’s Honor Roll 2015-16 fall semester.
To earn a place on the honor roll, the student-athletes must achieve a minimum 3.30 GPA for the current semester and be listed on the roster.
According to cameronaggies.com, “A total of twelve Aggies had a perfect 4.0 GPA for the semester with baseball leading the department with 14 overall honors, followed by softball with ten, volleyball eight, and women’s basketball seven.”
The honor roll does not include student-athletes who are on the Cameron Spirit Team because the spirit squad is not an NCAA sport.
Cameron Athletic Director Jim Jackson said it is an honor for student-athletes to be included on the Commissioner’s Honor Roll.
“The conference wants to honor student-athletes that are doing well academically,” Jackson said, “those students that perform well not only on the athletic field but also in the classroom.”
Jackson said as a department, they strive to earn a 3.0 GPA every semester.
“This semester, we had a 2.985,” he said. Everybody has strengths and weaknesses. … The fact is, if we can do the best we can do, then we’re successful.
“For every 2.0 student, there’s a 4.0 student, and so the 4.0 has to pick up the 2.0, and maybe that 2.0 – maybe that’s all they can do. As long as they’re going to class, doing their homework, being attentive and trying to get help, then that’s a success too.”
According to Jackson, the coaches want the Aggie teams to win, but they keep the students’ educational priority in mind.
“The coaches know … through our philosophy, that every student-athlete is here to get an education,” Jackson said. “If they leave Cameron without a degree, then we’ve failed.”
Jackson said students must be self-disciplined both on and off the athletic field.
“You just can’t turn it on and off like a light switch,” he said. “If you’re not performing well in the classroom, that weighs on your mind when you’re practicing and when you’re playing. … It’s easier to play well if you’re performing well academically.”
Jackson said for student-athletes, time management skills are the most important.
“Sometimes, they do have early morning practice,” he said. “You still have to go to class. You have to balance practice in the afternoon. Then, ‘When do I get my homework done?’ You have to fit that in.”
According to Jackson, student-athletes are not the only busy students. He said any student involved in an extracurricular activity is prone to be busy.
“Let’s just say you’re on a debate and speech team,” he said. “They face the same challenges. Let’s say you’re in the theatre; they face the same challenges. That’s extracurricular, and it’s part of the whole educational process.”
Jackson also said some students have responsibilities completely outside the university that keep them busy.
“[Students may] have a part time or a full time job. They may be a single mother. They may be a young man that’s taking care of his elderly parents.
“No matter if you’re an athlete, a non-athlete … we’re all busy, and we all are trying to achieve. Everybody’s different, … and if we can get it done, we’ll be successful.”
For a full listing of the Aggies on the Commissioner’s Honor Roll, visit http://www.cameronaggies.com/news/2016/1/19/BB_0119161226.aspx.