Walker Clarifies Expectations for Student Athletes
Longtime athletics administrator Tonia Walker came to Bluefield College this summer to serve as BC’s new athletics director (AD), and with her Walker brought a set of high expectations for student-athletes that she hopes will enhance the brand of athletics at BC.
“Athletics are the front porch of any college,” said Walker. “At a college you hear more about athletics than academics in many cases.”
And since student-athletes are often in the limelight, Walker said it’s very important that they present themselves in the best way possible. In fact, she shared certain expectations with players related to dress and athletic apparel. Those expectations, she admits, may have been a bit “misconstrued.”
Regarding athletic apparel, Walker shared with athletes her desire for them to wear only Adidas brand gear. When she said this, athletes thought she meant they had to wear Adidas everywhere when in reality she meant that they should wear Adidas products while at games, practices, or in the spotlight for media interviews.
The reason behind the commitment to Adidas products, Walker said, is the fact that the company invested in Bluefield College Athletics so it’s and important that their logo and their brand be promoted by BC student-athletes. Wearing other competing brands, she added, would violate the agreement the college has with Adidas.
Regarding dress, Walker has established a weekly Professional Dress Day for athletes — a decision some student-athletes have expressed frustration about. And while some students have shared that they think they are being asked to dress up for no reason and are being told what they can wear, Walker says that is not the case at all, and Professional Dress Day is far more than that.
“Professional Dress Day exceeds Wednesday, and it kills the stereotype of the athlete,” said Walker. “It will also get the student-athlete out of that mindset of, ‘I’m only here for sports.'”
Walker added that she believes having a Professional Dress Day will benefit student-athletes for the greater good. It will equip them for the future, she said, with a better wardrobe, which they can use for job interviews or in their career.
She said she understands that with all of the new expectations it will take time for students to understand and adapt to them. What she hopes more than anything is that they understand that the new expectations are designed for the good of the student-athlete.