Student athletes have busy schedules. Between school, sports, and extracurriculars, these teenagers barely have time to sleep and complete their homework. Throughout their high school careers, seniors have had to experience years of sleepless nights and busy schedules. Now that they are almost done with their experience, seniors are reflecting on their time spent at East.
Playing sports inside and outside of school takes a toll on athletes’ grades. Senior lacrosse and field hockey player Claudia Fulginiti wrote that, “Playing sports definitely takes away from ideal times for studying and completing homework.” She also wrote that, “playing sports definitely holds [her] back from potentially getting the best grades [she] could get.”
Many other student athletes feel the same way. Having to wake up around 6 a.m., go to school, and go straight to a game or a practice is exhausting. The majority of athletes are unable to get home and do their homework until around 8 p.m. or 9 p.m.. Spending up to two hours on homework leaves student athletes getting ready to go to bed and showering around 11 p.m. This leaves them only six or seven hours to sleep.
Although managing school and sports is difficult, seniors have found a way to balance them. In a survey performed by Eastside, we asked seniors how they balance school and sports. Varsity soccer captain, winter track, and spring track and field athlete, Lauren Carter, wrote that, “[s]chool comes first before sports,” and that, “[y]ou can’t play your game with bad grades.” She wrote that students should “[u]se a planner or your phone to keep track of assignments, practices, and games so you don’t fall behind.” Carter prioritizes what is important to her and utilizes tools to ensure that she can get everything done.
Varsity soccer captain Kira Fowler wrote that it is necessary “to focus on soccer in that moment then after to also focus on school work/ studying after this and always have something set to accomplish.” Fowler also wrote that “even hard workers need breaks after a while because everyone deserves to take breaks and relax too.” In her eyes, it is most important to focus on what you are doing at the moment. Other seniors feel the same, believing that it is important to focus on school but also to enjoy playing your sport and the friends you make along the way.
Throughout the survey, it was evident that the majority of seniors utilize planners and calendars to ensure that their work gets completed on time and to make sure they still have time for the sports they enjoy.
