High school students are notoriously overworked, having to stay up late countless nights in order to complete their work. At Jackson-Reed, we have many students who not only excel in the classroom, but also have to compete athletically at a high level. We have more than 20 sports teams competing throughout the year, and although playing a sport for your school is fun, many student athletes struggle with balancing schoolwork and their sport.
A big part of being on a sports team is the games you play against other schools once every week or so. This however becomes problematic when you have to leave class early, often missing the better part of fourth period, for these games. It can really hinder your academic achievement as you are missing the time in class when you should be working, and doing these assignments at home isn’t always easy. It can be unclear what your expectations are, where the work is and the work itself can be very time consuming. For many kids it can cause them to fail a class because they miss important tests or assignments and instead of taking accountability, wait for the teacher to tell them what to do. “” Teachers already have a hundred other kids to worry about, so it is really up to you to get that work done.
Phones have been a distraction and an addiction for teenagers throughout the nation, making it harder to lock in at home, especially after a long practiceSome teens spend over five hours a day glued to a screen. In fact, the average teen spends just over 7 hours a day looking at a screen. Looking at your phones or other devices can be a big waste of time and harmful to your success. During that time span, many students can get classwork done. Luke Szollos, a member of the Boys Varsity soccer team, says that to help him complete his work and avoid distraction, he rewards himself with 15 minutes of TikTok after every assignment he completes. This not only keeps him from getting too distracted by his phone, but motivates him to complete his assignments. Phones are incredibly addictive, especially for teens, so implementing habits to limit screen time is important if you want to stay caught up on your school work
Multi-sport athletes face an even bigger challenge. Playing two sports is already very time-consuming,with the practices and games, and adding schoolwork into the mix could be overwhelming for the unprepared. When it comes to upperclassmen, advanced classes, like APs, require even more time. One way varsity hockey player sophomore Thatcher Norton recommends you finish your work on time is if you can’t finish your homework in between school and practice, work on it in the car or bus. Finding times like this where you can work can help you avoid staying up late into the night and not getting enough sleep.
As athletes ourselves, I know balancing your school life and your sports can be difficult. Many people love to play sports and stay active, but it means you must take care of your grades. As Coach (add first name) Nkongolo of the boys’ varsity soccer team famously says, “you are a student before you are an athlete.” Don’t forget; failing to stay on top of your work could result in your removal from your team. To be a student athlete, you must work hard and plan ahead. If that sounds daunting to you, I urge you to learn from other athletes around you as, after all, you are a team.