David Stluka/UW Athletics
When Wisconsin Badgers wide receiver George Rushing was considering colleges, he looked at Southern football powerhouses like Texas Christian University, Louisiana State University and the University of Louisville. But when he visited UW-Madison, he found something that set the school apart from the rest.
“The combination of football and academics doesn’t get better than [Wisconsin],” says the 20-year-old senior, who is originally from Florida. “The school offers so much.”
A human development major with a keen interest in personal finance, Rushing maintains a disciplined schedule during football season, balancing practice and workouts with studies, community service and internships. But he doesn’t do it alone. “If it wasn’t for tutors, advisors, learning specialists, I wouldn’t be able to do half the things I do,” he says.
Tucked beneath the student section of Camp Randall Stadium, there’s a team of people working to support Wisconsin’s approximately 800 student athletes. Academic staff, athletic trainers, strength and conditioning coaches, sports medicine personnel, sports psychologists, nutritionists, diversity specialists and compliance officers — plus a small army of part-time tutors — all work out of the Student-Athlete Performance Center. Completed in January 2014, the $86 million facility is a hub for virtually all facets of student-athlete life and an essential recruitment tool for the university.
“When recruits do come here, they see the passion and the dedication of the staff, how they really care about student-athlete success,” says Mark Shook, assistant athletic director for academic services. There are about 60 full-time employees and 80 part-timers; many are former educators with advanced degrees. “And when they see this facility — which is pretty impressive — it also allows parents and students to see that we’re committed to that success.”
The Fetzer Center for Student-Athlete Excellence is quiet as summer draws to a close, but when fall semester starts Sept. 6 the three-story, 32,000-square-foot facility will become a bustling hive of activity. Like an upscale College Library without all the books, there’s a central lounge where athletes can socialize and study, private tutoring spaces for one-on-one sessions, conference rooms for group projects and team events and a computer lab with free printing and laptop checkout.
Floor-to-ceiling windows frame views of manicured practice fields and grassy courtyards. In the basement, there are athletic training and sports medicine facilities across from locker rooms, a weight room and a “refueling station” that offers free protein bars, make-your-own smoothies and coolers full of healthy snacks and drinks. The walls are beautifully decorated with plaques, helmets and photos of current and former Badgers. It all feels very luxurious, but Shook points out that the university asks a lot of its student-athletes, too. “The athletics department has done so much just to make it a convenient support,” he says. “Knowing that these student-athletes have really busy lives, this is the least we can do to help.”
David Stluka/UW Athletics
Tucked beneath the student section of Camp Randall, the Fetzer Center employs a small army of tutors, counselors and trainers.
The facility is a significant upgrade from the previous student-athlete academic services offices, which were originally located along the concourse inside the stadium and doubled as concessions stands during football games on Saturdays, says Doug Tiedt, senior associate athletic director for student services. “We started to outgrow our space very quickly as the program developed,” says Tiedt, who began at UW in 1996. “We were fortunate that administrative leadership looked to a facility that would support all the student services in one location.”
Having everything centralized under one roof means that student-athletes can spend entire days at the facility, which is open about 70 hours a week. For many, a typical day starts with breakfast in the basement dining hall followed by sessions with athletic trainers, meetings with academic advisors and homework in the study lounge before heading out for the day’s classes. The student-athletes return in the evening for practice, workouts and more studying. “From about 6 to 9 p.m., that’s prime time,” Shook says. “Every tutor room is full and there are about 300 people here.”
Senior kickoff specialist P.J. Rosowski prefers to study at home, but he appreciates knowing that the Fetzer Center is available when he needs a quiet place to work or get help. His major, geological engineering, is academically rigorous and uniquely hands-on, often requiring field trips on Sunday mornings after gameday. “I was a good student in high school, but college is a whole different ballgame,” says the 21-year-old Stoughton native. “[The transition] was tough — second-semester freshman year was probably one of the toughest for me.”
Student-athletes get unlimited access to tutors, meaning they could have help with every class if necessary. Rosowski says staff helped him with management and supported him through tough classes like calculus and statics. Rushing also credits support staff for helping him through the challenges of student-athlete life, particularly during a difficult time in his freshman year when his grandmother fell ill. “If it wasn’t for my learning specialist and advisor, I probably wouldn’t even be here honestly,” he says.
Staff in recent years have more formally guided student-athletes through transitions and challenges. A program called the “Life Skills Academy” focuses on bridging the gap between high school and college; career counseling; study abroad opportunities; and internship placement. It also prepares players for “life after the cheering stops,” Tiedt says. “These four years prepare them for the next 40.”
According to NCAA statistics, less than 2 percent of college football players will go on to play professionally. Rosowski, who interned this summer for Alliant Energy, hopes to work in the sustainable energy industry after graduation. Rushing, however, hopes to make it into the NFL. But if that dream doesn’t pan out, he can fall back on his degree.
“Either way,” Rushing says, “I’ll be fine.”