It takes a lot to be a successful athlete. A player that exhibits traits such as effort, commitment, passion, communication, and motivation can take their talents to greater places. To those on the field, playing a sport can help shape their identity. However, juggling school life while pursuing a sport may be difficult.
Sophomore baseball and golf player Tucker Haitz enjoys playing sports and learning new skills but sometimes struggles to balance school work and practice.
“Playing a sport to me means putting in the work and having the discipline to try and be the best at what I can do and I really think those skills can be translated to anything I do in life,” said Haitz. “Being a student-athlete can be very difficult at times with demanding practice hours and overall tiring from all the things that sports require. It can sometimes hinder my ability to focus and take time away that I could spend working on homework.”
Head girls tennis coach Bryan Pregon believes that advancements in the sports world have made it easier for student-athletes to improve their performance skills and having a love for the sport is very important.
“In every sport I know of, recent improvements in sports science is really making big gains for athletes that can take advantage of it,” said Pregon. “In tennis specifically, things like analytics for stats and using video to evaluate performance are some of the most important. The bottom line is do you love the game? It’s key for whatever sport you want to master. Without that, you won’t have the motivation to work that hard.”
Junior volleyball player Emily Billings feels that playing sports has helped her manage her time better but can also make it challenging to keep up with schoolwork.
“Playing sports is an outlet for me as well as an opportunity to push myself to get better at something and to stay in shape,” said Billings. “It can be at times very challenging to balance school and sports. I try to use my time wisely in school to get quality work done. I also try to stay caught up on my school work because it can be very easy to get behind in class.”
Junior soccer player and cross-country runner Lina Cain loves the connections she can make with other students on and off the field but sometimes feels the pressure of balancing school and sports.
“Playing sports helps me learn how to manage my time,” said Cain. “It also helps me make friendships that will last for years. I balance school and sports through lots of time management. School can cause lots of stress especially when you don’t have very much time to study. It is important to try to stay focused when playing sports.”
Head volleyball coach Alyssa Jeffrey thinks it is important for athletes to understand that commitment and motivation are keys to success on the field.
“To be an athlete or grow as an athlete you have to want it,” said Jeffrey. “ I think it is important for every athlete to know that they all have a role and are important on a team. The harder they work, the more they improve. It won’t be drastic improvement but small improvements are something to celebrate, as well. Don’t give up on yourself when it gets hard.”
