By: Dominic Holguin
Balancing academics and sports is a challenge many students face in high school. Many students don't know how to handle it, and incoming student-athletes may take a long time to figure it out. Some may need just a couple of weeks, while others may need a year or longer. It all depends on how they manage their time and whether they have other activities, like clubs or service opportunities.
Senior David Monks & his parents at Football’s Senior Night!
We interviewed one of our Juniors who plays for our Varsity football team, and this is what he had to say: "Even when I am tired coming home from practice, I try my hardest to work when I get home. I balance out my academics by using any time I have available to do my work. I also try to do as much work as I can throughout the school day.” He told us that as a freshman, he struggled with doing both. He didn’t know which to prioritize, so he didn’t really know how to fully balance academics and sports.
We also asked him if he had any suggestions for student-athletes who are currently struggling to balance academics and sports. He responded, “I would suggest that they keep track of everything that they are involved in. Schoolwork obviously comes first, but then there are other things to consider. I take football very seriously, but I am starting to join clubs now, and I have more responsibilities in my life, but I have no regrets. I want to get used to juggling multiple tasks because that is what college will be like, and I want to be ready for it. I recommend that incoming student-athletes figure out what they will spend their time on when they are not busy at school or playing sports. If they do, then they should be just fine.”