Student-athletes put countless hours into their sport and schooling, and they are expected to have a great work ethic and the ability to manage their time well. Being a high school student with such high expectations put on you can be hard to achieve, but how do athletes feel about it?
Many students take on the challenge of being a student-athlete. In addition to having an average of two hours of homework, athletes have a range of two to three hours of practice. Practices and games can start at 6:00 pm and end as late as 10:00 pm.
“It’s [three-hour practices] a little long but it’s fine,” said Hudson Swayne a Placer High School freshman.
For others, sports take up a lot of time and energy. During the season some student-athletes don’t have much time to spend with friends, or for jobs. Even through the challenges, they stay motivated by the idea of a scholarship or the possibility of a future career. However, that doesn’t often pan out as only 2% of students get scholarships, and a mere 0.023% go pro.
Students on varsity volleyball and snowboarding seem to have a bit more free time and their sport does not affect their school life as much, but some say they still feel pressure to succeed.
This isn’t the only negative factor for student-athletes, as coach favoritism plays a substantial role as well. Many students become bench-warmers just because the coach favors someone else. This is very difficult for some athletes because they put in the same amount of time and effort as others on the team but get less playing time.
Even though there are cons to being a student-athlete there are many pros. Playing sports opens up a whole new world, and often helps people make new friends and expand their horizons.
Justice Alba, a senior at Placer High School and a varsity football player shared, “I have a lot more friends, and I wouldn’t have them if I wasn’t on the team.”
Student-athletes believe that playing sports is worth it because of the community it builds for them. Many students come into high school with few friends, and athletics helps them grow.
Junior Natalia Moreno a Placer High School varsity tennis player said, “It has a positive effect on me because I get to be in a community with people who have common interests with me.”
Even with the pressure, the late nights, and the catch-up work, the majority of student-athletes wouldn’t trade playing for anything.