‘It’s a culture of educating our students’

In today’s world, social media extends into most areas of day-to-day life. About seven in 10 Americans use social media, according to a 2018 article from Pew Research Center. While these networks may have benefits, Mountain Brook schools recognized that if used incorrectly, they can also have consequences. 

“I think the biggest thing is now, the students that are coming out of this generation, they’ve never been in a different culture than what they’re in with social media,” said Mountain Brook High School Athletic Director Benny Eaves.

Students are able to comment, like and share posts on social media, which for the most part, is public domain. That means that anyone who wants to see it can — including recruiters from college.

Samford University’s Athletic Director Martin Newton said teams have people on staff that constantly monitor prospective student-athletes. 

“It’s a big part of the recruiting tool now,” he said. They’re not just looking for highlight reels on the accounts, though. 

“You’re gonna look at all their social media accounts because character and fit are big issues,” Newton said, and that’s where recruiters or potential coaches may find things that might not be seen during one-on-one meetings. Eaves described a social media presence as a “double-edged sword.”

“It’s such a great tool, but at the same time, it can be so very destructive if not used in the right way,” Eaves said. “Being able to see 10 years down the road, or five years down the road, the things that they’re putting on [social media] could be detrimental to a scholarship offer or an entrance acceptance letter.”

Some students may have their admission letters or scholarship offers rescinded, with social media cited as the reason.

In 2017, at least 10 students who were accepted into Harvard College lost their admission after it was discovered they were sharing offensive and explicit memes in a Facebook group, according to an article by USA Today. 

Both Eaves and Newton said they couldn’t remember having a problem with any MBHS or Samford student athletes and social media accounts, but said they still take measures to educate both players and coaches about appropriate practices.

Eaves said a few years ago, the Alabama High School Athletic Association put on a conference for athletic directors, coaches and principals geared toward helping students and student-athletes manage their social media accounts. The Mountain Brook school system addresses the topic frequently, as well.

“It’s a culture of educating our students and not just our student-athletes,” Eaves said, noting that it’s being addressed from the top down. “It is definitely a point of emphasis with the schools that I know.”

While Newton said colleges might not base their scholarship or admission decision solely on social media, they do take those factors into account. Both he and Eaves said students and student-athletes should follow the idea that “if you wouldn’t want your mom or dad to know about it, you shouldn’t do it.”

And if students have an “epiphany they’ve done something they might not have wanted to,” Eaves said, they should go back and manage that.

“You’ve got to make a decision about how you want to be represented,” Newton said. “Understand that your character is revealed, your value is revealed.”