With the pressure of juggling long practices, late-night study sessions, game days, and early mornings at school, student athletes face the challenges of finding a balance between their academics and their extracurriculars. Not only that, but they sometimes sacrifice quality time with their friends and family to go to practice or spend extra time studying for a big exam. Especially at a small school like Lowellville, it is exciting for students to want to be involved in everything, but it can be hard to maintain good grades and excel in sports. While it is a challenge, thousands of students do it every day and it may make you question how they manage to do it. Some of Lowellville’s student athletes decided to share how they are able to manage their very busy schedules and still stay focused on school.
Andrew “AJ” Boehlke is a junior football player at Lowellville. He admits that he has had trouble juggling sports and school. Sometimes AJ finds it hard to maintain good grades while also performing well in his extracurricular. He finds it most difficult in the beginning of the season. He says, “But once you get used to it and have a schedule, it’s easier to balance.” AJ always tries to focus on time management and making sure his schoolwork is done to relieve his stress and he advises other student athletes to do the same. “Focus and prioritize school as much as your sport and keep up with your school work,” he says.
Morgan Lewis is a very involved senior athlete. She plays volleyball, basketball, and softball, while also being a member of the cheer squad and band. Morgan also participates in travel softball outside of school. Despite her busy schedule, Morgan says she does not have much trouble balancing school and sports. She says, “It just gets busy sometimes.” Morgan finds that the biggest struggle she faces as a student athlete is finding the time to spend with her friends and family. In school, Morgan says she tries to get as much work as she can done in her study halls to make juggling academics and extracurriculars easier. She offers advice to classmates. “Don’t wait until the last minute to complete your schoolwork.”
Junior athlete Nathan Yon is also very busy. He participates in golf, cross country, basketball, indoor track, and track. Nathan agrees that there are struggles to being a student athlete. “It can be challenging at times, especially when there are big games, matches, or meets that overlap with project deadlines or other assignments,” Nathan says. He faces the challenge of time constraints, trying to focus on schoolwork after a long day of practice or trying to squeeze in time to study into a shorter period than he is used to. “I push through because both my academic and athletic goals are important to me,” he says. Nathan always tries to plan ahead and complete his schoolwork before practice, finding that being smart with his time helps him stay on top of everything. He says, “Stay organized and don’t be afraid to ask for help. It’s important to communicate with both your coaches and teachers if you’re struggling. And don’t forget to take care of yourself-getting enough rest and having a support system can make all the difference. Getting a good night’s rest should always be on the top of your priority list. Never cheat on your sleep.”
Makenna Beeson, a senior at Lowellville, shares a different perspective of what it is like to be involved in extracurriculars outside of school. While she is a Lowellville cheerleader, Makenna also dances competitively at Jamie’s Dance Force. She says that balancing sports and school was, “…definitely a struggle at first. I am at the dance studio four times a week, sometimes really late. Then, it gets to the point of having both dance and multiple basketball games a week. It can be really stressful.” Makenna expressed that the stress of balancing both is the biggest struggle she faces. “It’s hard to be present in my sports because I’m thinking about my assignments,” she says, “Same thing goes for at school. It is hard to focus because I am thinking about dance, competitions, or getting ready for a game after school.” Makenna deals with the stress by using a planner to map out everything ahead of time. She has found that homeroom has been a big help. She advises other students. “Plan ahead, it helps so much when you can visibly see everything you have to do in a week, that way you won’t forget anything.” She adds, “If you want to be good at your sport, training is necessary. Sometimes it just takes being responsible about it.”
There are clear challenges that come with the choice of becoming a student athlete, but one thing that these athletes have in common is the fact that they love their sport. No matter what challenges they face, they make it look easy and rise above it all. These students are proof that balancing academics and extracurriculars can be done, it just requires extra effort. Students involved in athletics are some of the hardest workers, bringing pride and spirit to the school, and their hard work and dedication does not go unnoticed.
