▁a ▁red sh irt ▁non - part icip atory ▁year . ▁ ▁Re asons ▁ ▁Student ▁athlet es ▁become ▁red sh ir ts ▁for ▁many ▁reasons . ▁One ▁example ▁is ▁that ▁the ▁student ▁ath lete ▁may ▁not ▁be ▁ready ▁to ▁balance ▁the ▁dem ands ▁of ▁both ▁academic ▁and ▁athlet ic ▁requirements . ▁Red sh ir ting ▁provides ▁the ▁opportunity , ▁with ▁t utor ing , ▁to ▁take ▁some ▁classes ▁and ▁become ▁acc ustom ed ▁to ▁the ▁academic ▁rig ors ▁demanded ▁of ▁them . ▁They ▁may ▁also ▁red sh irt ▁to ▁under go ▁a ▁year ▁of ▁practice ▁with ▁a ▁team ▁prior ▁to ▁particip ating ▁in ▁competition . ▁In ▁American ▁college ▁football , ▁a ▁student ▁ath lete ▁may ▁red sh irt ▁to ▁work ▁towards ▁increasing ▁size , ▁strength , ▁and ▁stam ina ; ▁all ▁des irable ▁assets ▁for ▁many ▁positions , ▁as ▁the ▁current ▁and ▁post - red sh irt ▁years ▁co inci de ▁with ▁the ▁final ▁phases ▁of ▁physical ▁m atur ity . ▁Play ers ▁may ▁also ▁red sh irt ▁to ▁learn ▁the ▁team ▁play book , ▁as ▁many ▁college ▁teams ▁run ▁more ▁complex ▁form ations ▁and ▁execution s ▁in ▁comparison ▁to ▁high ▁school ▁teams . ▁ ▁Athlet es ▁may ▁be ▁asked ▁to ▁red sh irt ▁if ▁they ▁would ▁have ▁little ▁or ▁no ▁opportunity ▁to ▁play ▁as ▁an ▁academic ▁fresh man . ▁This ▁is ▁a ▁common ▁occurrence ▁in ▁many ▁sports ▁where ▁there ▁is ▁already ▁an ▁established ▁upper class man ▁player ▁in ▁a ▁position , ▁or ▁too ▁much ▁depth ▁at ▁the ▁position ▁the ▁fresh man