Everyday, student athletes go through the same routine. This consists of waking up, eating breakfast, going to school, practicing, having dinner, completing any unfinished homework, and then sleeping. Because a student athletes job is to balance school work, and their sports practices and games, it can be difficult and stressful at times. However, having the opportunity to be part of a team, especially a varsity high school team, which I have the privilege of being a part of right now, truly is something special. And while it can be dreadful at times, and the season can be both mentally and physical draining, I wouldn’t change it for the world.
Through the good and through the bad, in being a student athlete, you learn a great deal of lessons. What essentially cannot be taught just in school, but very much so in being part of a team and a student at the same time is determination, doing whatever it takes accomplish a goal. Everyday, a student athletes goal is to be the best they can, both in the classroom and on the field, whatever that may entail. Whether that mean staying up late to complete any unfinished homework, or showing up early to practice to go over plays, in order to have the student athlete title next to your name, you need to be willing to make certain sacrifices.
One major character trait student athletes are known for having is responsibility. In being a student athlete, there is a required GPA (Grade Point Average), where if not met, doesn’t allow one to play. This is significant because, on top of the commitment to their sports team, student athletes are responsible for prioritizing their academics. While being a student athlete implies being two things, the student half is most important. Often times, homework can be an issue with student athletes. What is said is that the earlier you finish your homework, the earlier you get to go to sleep.
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This is extremely significant while being a student athlete, because if you get to bed earlier, you will perform better in practice and in games. In addition to this, another crucial part of being a student athlete is time management. You have to be on top of your school work because it is easy to slack off. Playing a sport takes up a lot of the time after school, time that most people use to complete homework. This means that after school student athletes cannot waste their time. Student athletes need to get to work right away to ensure that they can complete all of their homework without staying up late, and affecting their performance the following day.
In essence, being a student-athlete is a full-time job, and it’s not easy all of the time. While there are definitely perks of being a student athlete, there are also many challenges. However, as mentioned earlier, while it can be dreadful at times, without the sport I love, I would be different people.
References
- NCAA – College-Bound Student-Athlete
- The Impact of Increasing Dedication to Sports on Academic Performance
- The Effects of Daily Physical Activity on School Attendance and Academic Performance in California Middle School Students
- Sports Participation and Perceived Academic Performance of School Children and Youth: A Longitudinal Study
