As the school year progresses, the workload for students continues to increase. For student-athletes, balancing academics and sports is a constant challenge. At this point, managing time is not just a process; it is a necessity.
Many student-athletes who take both advanced placement (AP) and dual-enrollment (DE) classes still compete in sports outside of school. Sophomore Dalia Ahmad is one of the many students trying to navigate their schedule alongside sports. She is currently enrolled in several advanced classes, all of which have heavier work-loads.
“I wake up pretty early, around 4:30 [a.m],” Ahmad said. “I go to practice, then I come home, and I have free time in the afternoon, but I have lifting on Tuesday afternoons. Wednesday through Friday in season, I have practices right after school. I typically have races on Saturdays or Sundays, sometimes both.”
For athletes like Ahmad, long days are the norm. With this packed schedule, the physical toll is extremely significant, with fatigue being a constant challenge for most student-athletes.
“I get really tired, so I try to take a nap and then do all my work,” Ahmad said. “Crew is a demanding sport, mentally and physically.”
Sophomore Andrew Kint is balancing many classes at the same time as sports. He is taking advanced courses like Ahmad. Additionally, he participates in cross-country and soccer during the designated school season and travel soccer year-round.
“Soccer is year-round, so right now school soccer isn’t going on, but travel is,” Kint said. “I have practice three days a week, and then games on weekends…I do cross-country too, so after I do cross-country…I either go to soccer practice or go to the gym, depending if I have soccer.”
Kint believes managing time is about focus and prioritization. He avoids distractions like video games until he has completed his work. This method, along with an understanding of how much time each assignment will take, helps him stay ahead. Even with these long days, he takes a structured approach when using his time. He makes sure every hour is used wisely, even if it means having late-night study sessions.
“I usually just try to grind [homework] out right after practice, then until 11 [p.m], so it is not that bad,” Kint said. “I know that I need to get my work done as my first priority.”
Senior Greta Skaggs takes a different approach. She has a lighter schedule with only six classes, including AP Literature, AP Psychology and IB Spanish. She participates in tennis, as well as other clubs after school. Skaggs stays extremely organized during the season, which helps her complete tasks before the deadlines.
“[My day] is very routine based…I spend a lot of time the day before prepping for stuff; so that could be laying out an outfit, packing my lunch or trying to get ahead on work,” Skaggs said. “I’ll write a deadline, or a date, and then try to work around that on top of, you know, playing a sport, because I need time for work.”
Each student had their own piece of advice to share with those who are struggling with time management. Drawing from their own experiences, they have learned a lot along the way to stay organized.
“I think that you kinda just have to cut out all the distractions and do all the work to the best of your ability,” Kint said. “Don’t try and overload your schedule…some days you just need to focus on work.”
Skaggs shared a similar piece of advice, saying that pressure often comes from both teachers and coaches.
“You want to be able to excel in both sports and academics, and sometimes you’re putting one before the other,” Skaggs said. “I try to take time away from both of those things, to have time for myself as well…being able to make time for yourself is really important.”
“Visualize it, take a piece of paper or whiteboard and write it all down,” Skaggs said. “Order what is more important to you or what you prioritize for the next day or the following week. I think that’s a really good task, or like a good way to manage your task.”
Skaggs believes that writing things down is essential for staying organized and that visualizing goals makes them easier to accomplish.
“Just don’t procrastinate, you are definitely gonna regret it later. And I think it feels so good when I get to Sunday afternoons and I have nothing to do. I think that’s just the best feeling,” Ahmad said.
Sophomore Luc Hebert also has a busy class schedule in addition to baseball and early morning or afternoon lifts. He admits to occasionally procrastinating, but understands the importance of time management.
“It is really hard…just stay on task and don’t waste your time,” Hebert said.
Despite having different strategies, all student athletes agree on one thing: time is precious. Whether it is keeping lists and calendars, powering through late-night study sessions, or catching up during free class time, they are all trying to meet a similar goal. Balancing academics and athletics is not easy, but with focus and the occasional nap, these students are showing that time management is achievable through hard work.
“Use your time wisely; the number one thing that money can’t buy is time,” Hebert said.
