Homework, practice, homework, games, practice, homework: the list of responsibilities goes on and on for student-athletes. Working to compete physically at their best while also staying on top of academics; student-athletes are some of the hardest working people in a school environment. The pressures and expectations raise the concern of time management for student-athletes.
Commonly people will make fun of the term student-athlete, making jokes like ‘when you have to actually put the student in student-athlete.’ While these jokes are made for fun, they do make a serious point on the pressures of a student athlete.
“Athletics are a privilege, not a right. Student athletes are held to a high standard,” Fraser High School Principal, Ryan Sines said.
“Athletics are a privilege, not a right.” – Ryan Sines
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Being an athlete makes one an automatic representative of a school. Their behavior at away games, seeing the teamwork and perseverance on the field or court, and admiring the dedication and hard-work of a team is a direct reflection of a school and its people. Sports connect communities together making pride for sports an uncanny way of recognition. With this pressure to perform the best to support your school culture, it takes mental strength out of an athlete. The pressure can affect student-athletes.
Fraser High School’s grade policy for student-athletes is that they at least have to be passing 5 out of 7 classes. Athletic Director, Shane Redshaw, does grade checks throughout every semester to verify grades. If someone falls below the standard, they will become ineligible to play.
Mr. Sines states how most teams and coaches have good resources for those athletes struggling with their grades.
“Coaches take grades into consideration when they have tryouts. They might be cut from a sport if they have lower grades. Athletes that struggle a little bit have tutoring programs,” Mr. Sines said. “Tutoring programs are mostly ran by the coaches.”
A good thing about Fraser is that coaches are mainly teachers at the school who have a passion for teaching academics and sports alike. That combination of coaches and teachers allows them to get more help for student’s that struggle academically.
Head football coach, Jon Skladanowski; for example, is one of the math teachers. For football, he is able to assist any athletes’ academic struggles.
“If they’re ineligible they are put a study table and have to do their work. We have study table every Wednesday for an hour,” Coach Skladanowski said.
So, from an administrator or teacher’s perspective, student-athletes are given many opportunities to put grades first due to the ineligibility policy. However, student athletes have varying opinions on the stress.
“Even if you have bad grades, you still have to go to everything which still doesn’t help you get your grades up,” 11th grade varsity volleyball player, Meghan Tapp said.
With Tapp’s claim, one can see the different expectations sport by sport. Coach Skladanowski allots his ineligible players the entire practice to do homework, while ineligible volleyball players are expected to come to all practices and games and get their grades up at the same time. Sitting on the bench at a game might be a punishment or inventive for the athlete, but it does not necessarily help them get their grades up. While being benched can be a motivation, depending on the player, that motivation varies.
11th grade varsity football player, Josiah Randalle explained some of his struggles with balancing sports and schoolwork.
“I always feel stressed during football season because we are immediately going from school to practice, so I don’t get a breather. Being a varsity player, I do feel the extra pressure that I need to perform amazingly or else someone will believe I don’t deserve the title of ‘Varsity Football Player,’” he said.
Randalle explains his mental struggles of being on a varsity sport. Football is one of the most popular and advertised sports at school. Football games are some of the biggest events during the school year. That pressure of not only performing at his best for his teammates but also his peers add a ton of weight on his shoulders. Balancing that with homework and school after getting home late from a long practice can take a mental toll on someone.
Another sport that takes a lot of effort is dance. 11th grade varsity dance team member, Leah Woods, is a part of various different dance extracurriculars in and outside of school that takes up a lot of her time.
“I’m on varsity dance team, competitive studio dance at Ultra Dance Company, and I’m a part of the USPBL dance crew at Jimmy John’s Field. My studio schedule is nightly from around 4-8 or 9 and dance team is from 2:30-5:30 on Thursdays and Fridays. Then on football games, dance team performs on the sidelines and at half time. Competition for dance team starts in November and competition for studio starts in March. We have various extra rehearsals throughout the season as well,” Woods explains.
Adding on 3 hours of homework a day to 5 hours of practice after an 8 hour school day is a lot. Time management for student-athletes is critical; however, sometimes it’s not enough.
“Sometimes the pressure affects my schoolwork but usually I figure things out. And on the occasion that I don’t, I usually just email my teachers and explain the situation. Most of them are understanding are willing to work with me,” Woods said.
The teacher’s ability to cooperate with student’s is an important part of a successful student-athlete. Which connects back to the raised concern between student-athletes and schoolwork. Administration does their best to put the grades of student athletes first while student’s try putting that same effort into prioritizing their grades. One hypothetical scenario for meeting the struggles of student-athletes and prioritizing grades would be that student-athletes to only have assignments due weekly instead of by class, so they could slowly do their work throughout the week and be able to miss a day if they have a game or long practice. The reply of the students was varied.
“It would help to not be as overwhelmed especially on game days, but I also think it would make my weekends much more stressful because I would push it all till then,” Tapp said.
Randalle makes a similar point to Tapp.
“I would definitely be less stressed out, but the weekends are when I’d want to relax so making my relax days, workdays would be pretty annoying and stressful,” Randalle said.
Then, Woods has a different opinion to Tapp and Randalle.
“I would love the idea of everything being due Sunday. Last year in AP US History, he had us turn things in online by Sunday night or the first class of the following week. That definitely allowed me to work at my own pace throughout the week and weekend,” Woods said.
“I would love the idea of everything being due Sunday.” – Leah Woods
Adjusting deadlines may or may not help. What works for one person might not work for everyone. The idea of longer deadlines to Tapp and Randalle make them worry about procrastination, while Woods thinks it would take a lot of pressure off her shoulders. The real answer lies in the cooperation of the teachers. There will be no one way to please every student-athlete or every teacher. Some methods will not work for both parties. Communication between teachers and students is the key to a successful student-athlete. If a student is able to properly express their concerns, a cooperating teacher should be able to get them the help they need. Which ties back to some coaches being teachers, allotting more resources for their athletes. Student-athletes are respected and appreciated members of Fraser High School and if teachers are willing to work, make accommodations, and help student-athletes struggling it could make the world of a difference to someone.
