Living The Double Life
September 24, 2018
As a student-athlete, you come to understand that time and scheduling are now a part of the game. Conflicts will inevitably occur, and deadlines still must be met. The life of a student-athlete is completely systematic and chaotic. Adaptability and open mindedness won’t just become your best friends but your teammates.
Women’s golf player, senior Kacey Godwin, understands the importance of scheduling and experiences the chaos of being a student-athlete.
“I try to balance school and sports by having specific times/scheduling that I can commit to – with some flexibility if necessary. There’s a lot of beauty and advantages in having a routine. That way I feel like I am fully engaged and devoting my energy to the task at hand, whether that be academically or athletically,” Godwin said. “I don’t want this to come off as some sort of ‘perfect world’ fantasy though. Honestly, sometimes it’s all out of whack and off-kilter. In the end, all you can do is try your best right? I think that’s most important.”
Student-athletes’ successes derive solely from becoming highly proactive individuals. They must be calm, organized and compassionate – and challenge adversities. You have to anticipate your opponent’s next pass, and it is these skills that are vital to one’s success on the court and on the field. The ability to plan ahead and manage time is undeniably correlated with a student-athlete’s overall well-being.
Student-athletes are also involved in a variety of organizations outside of their sports that demand a lot of time and effort. On top of balancing their schoolwork they also need to balance club meetings, a social life and, in most cases, a part-time job. Now, imagine having all these responsibilities, as well as daily practice, film study, workouts and team meetings.
Women’s lacrosse player, junior Olivia Engle shares how she manages to fit school, sports, clubs and work into her schedule.
“I balance school and sports by making sure that I prioritize my work by importance and do the most important things first, generally after practice. I also make sure to do small tasks in any spare time I have,” Engle said. “I am also the co-intern for ACE and president of Pre-Physical Therapy/Occupational Therapy Club. With all the emails and meetings, I use Google calendar, and I answer emails at most mealtimes or any spare moment to stay on top of it all.”
That’s the life of a college student-athlete. It is far from easy, but they rise to meet the challenge.