Schools put a lot of pressure on students, those in sports can really struggle balancing the work of school and sports. There are ways that students can balance the weight of it.
“You’re in school first and sports second, I think we do have options out there if you’re really driven,” said study skills teacher Rachel Ropp.
Students do have to put in the extra work when they do sports, especially if they’re in advanced classes as well.
“Most of the time I work on my homework after volleyball and have someone, like my mom, help me so I can get it done better and more efficiently,” said sophomore Kayla Starkey
Students can also get very stressed out having to deal with their homework and their after school activities. Even though it’s stressful, efficient students find a way to make it work.
Freshman Taylor Roe said,“Yes, I get very stressed out. I deal with it by putting my priorities first and focusing on what I need to get done rather than what I want to do,”
Sports can also help students be better individuals. Students gain many important life skills that are developed through sports.
“ I think sports help students learn, you have to be disciplined to be in sports. I actually think sports are awesome and provide a physical outlet. Sports help them learn that you might be a player but you also have a team,” said Ropp.
Many students form relationships through their sport. It prepares them for the real world.
“I make my family proud in my sports and I’m very athletic. I make new friends and good leadership skills,” said Roe
Schools also give students a chance to catch up. Times like advisory and late start can be very useful if used wisely.
“I used my class time wisely, dedicated the time in class to doing class and eliminating distractions,” said Ropp.
There are also many students that use their family to help them learn. Getting help from teachers and peers is beneficial towards a student’s education.
“Most of the time I work on my homework after volleyball and have someone, like my mom, help me so I can get it done more efficiently,” said Starkey.
Teachers are also a helpful resource and are understanding when it comes to extra curricular activities.
“Some of my teachers are very understanding and my club softball coach is very understanding about me putting school first,” said Roe.
Sports can be a lot of pressure and take up a lot of a student’s time. It is up to the student to make good decisions when keeping up with their classwork.
“Many students struggle because they might be gone all day for a sport. Your job is to make the grades because if you don’t make the grades you don’t make the team, so student athletes have to learn time management skills,” said Ropp.
Students cannot play a sport in school if they have bad grades, so they need to have good time management to help them out.
“Music helps me stay focused on my studies. I work better when I have a distraction,” said Starkey.
Balancing the work of a student and the work of an athlete is stressful on students. Students have found ways to make their life easier by getting into routines and working when they can.