Athletes
All kinds of people want to be involved in collegiate a cappella groups. But when it comes to running a student organization, the leadership needs to think about how new personalities will affect the group dynamics. In this column, we take a candid look at the stereotypes associated with various sorts of people, and explain what these people may contribute to a group.
Please note that many of the characterizations presented in this column are intended to defuse mean-spirited stereotypes through humor. We do not intend to offend anyone.
In this edition we consider athletes.
OK, so you’re worried that between away games and practice and maintaining a good enough GPA to stay on his team, the athlete is going to throw membership in your a cappella group to the bottom of his pile of priorities. The concern isn’t entirely unfounded. But revisit why the athlete is so busy. Playing in big games. Think about the networking opportunities this guy could afford you—singing the national anthem before a game, or even a short set in front of a full gymnasium at half time. There’s a lot of potential there.
The stereotypical jock may not be the brightest mind available at your school, but if you’re really so concerned about that, maybe it’s time you got off your high horse and considered the value of diversifying your group and getting a really different perspective. The athlete isn’t necessarily dumb; he just may bright in a wholly different way from the rest of the group which could lead to some interesting new ideas.
You may be worried that the athlete’s star power will outshine that of the rest of your group, or make other group members look less cool by comparison. If you cut out the negative comparisons, though, you can start to observe that an athlete just might add a certain it factor to your group—an electric personality; a larger than life physique; a quirky, off-beat addition to your ensemble. The athlete just might make your group cooler in the long run.