BUTLER TWP — When it comes to education and an athlete’s plan for it, Butler County Community College will offer its support from day one, actually make that the day before.

“What we do, especially here since a lot of kids need help, is give athletes an orientation the first day before school,” said Rob Snyder, BC3’s director of athletics. “We talk to them about going to class, what the requirements are.”

That’s just the tip of the iceberg at BC3, which has a plan in place so athletes don’t become overwhelmed.

That begins with letters being sent to the faculty who have athletes in their respective classes.

“It says that this student is an athlete and they miss time for games,” Snyder said. “Any problems that come up, we ask they let us know.”

There’s also an early-alert system, according to Snyder. If an athlete receives a D or a failing grade, the athletic office is notified.

“We also send out progress reports,” said Snyder. “The first semester we do it two times, the second semester just once. A progress report checks attendance, their progress, how they’re doing.

“We get on them early so by the next semester, they already know what’s required of them.

“That allows us to keep as good a track as we can,” Snyder added.

While the progress reports was instituted a few years ago, athletes as well as the rest of the student body benefit from the Academic Center for Enrichment, which provides all students with academic advising, counseling, tutoring and placement tests.

“There is tutoring that is free to all students and it’s a perk we tell them to take,” Snyder said. “The biggest thing is they know where to go.”

Still, it’s the progress reports that seem to be the most helpful, according to Snyder.

“We’ll talk to the kid and then hand it off to the coaches,” Snyder said about his department.

“We all lose kids, but it’s only two years here. You hope they stick it out ... You want kids to know that sometimes it’s better to get a bad grade than no grade at all.”