Written by Johanna Acosta & Cristina SoaresPhotos by Tricia Principe and NCAA

Take a look into NCAA student-athletes and their challenge in bal-ancing academics and athletics. Athletes have had to make many changes and adjustments to their typical lifestyles.

“It is much harder in college to be a student and athlete. Not only do we practice every day and sometimes play three times in a week, but we also do homework, prepare for tests and make time for a social life,” said Leslie Hollis, a current shortstop for the Winston-Salem women’s softball team.

Athletes not only have academic responsibilities, but they also spend countless hours outside the classroom doing various activi-ties in their respective sports. For example, many athletic teams return early to campus to begin pre-season conditioning.

The volleyball team arrives two weeks prior to the start of classes to begin pre-season conditioning. The daily schedule consists of 6 a.m. conditioning, noon workouts, and 3 p.m. court practices.

During the season, morning sessions are completed as needed, ei-ther at 5 or 6 a.m. Next, players go to their daily classes, and there is evening court practice from 4 to 7pm. Following practice is a man-datory study hall from 8–10pm. In addition, meetings, video review, and treatment of injuries occur in between these activities.

Lastly, the team travels to and from various universities in athletic competition, and when scheduling permits, the team does commu-nity service work.

College athletics and academics have been fighting for priority for many years. This atmosphere is placing student-athletes between these two focuses, and putting them in unique situations daily. Being a student-athlete involves many different challenges. When student-athletes were asked what made their two different worlds so hard to balance, they replied with the following five challenges.

[01] Staying Focused and Keeping Priorities Straight: Have you

ever wondered where most student-athletes find the motivation to make all the sacrifices that they make? For many, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. Having the chance of being on a NCAA sports team opens the door to many new and exciting opportunities. Some of the advantages include: being part of a team, working together to achieve goals and learning how to lose and not have everything go your way. It allows time for giving back to the community through volunteer work, meeting new people, having health benefits, and being part of a new family.

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STUCK BETWEENTWO WORLDS

Student-athletes receive scholarships, public recognition, travel to various

places around the country, a full athletic wardrobe, and more. But athletic

participation may not be as glamorous as many perceive it to be.

It gives you an opportunity to communicate with people of different majors and careers that can have a positive impact on your life.

In their extra time, they need to do homework. Many times the urge to sleep is a lot stronger than the urge to study.

Student athletes not only have to worry about the effect that inad-equate amounts of sleep have on their performance as an athlete, but also as a student. All-nighters are a popular concept among college students. However, staying up all night to complete work may be detrimental to students who have to rise early for classes as well as make practice the next day.

“Whenever I didn’t get enough sleep during season, I would definite-ly notice an effect on my performance,” said Kaitlin Ruggiero, a senior at SUNY New Paltz and a former member of the New Paltz Women’s Field Hockey team. “I was usually in an overall bad mood and frus-trated because I couldn’t perform up to my usual standards. I would also find that I’d be tired after practice. This made

Unfortunately, while there are so many advantages they’re also dis-advantages. As the saying goes “you can’t have your cake, and eat it too.” Some student-athletes feel as though they are missing out on the “normal” college life. How one defines a normal “college life” dif-fers from athlete to athlete. There is that feeling of “I wish I could go out this Friday night.” By not staying focused on what is supposed to be done, priorities are lost and the real reason behind college is lost. There are always many temptations. But it is important for student-athletes to keep their priorities straight and remain focused on their school work.

[02] Getting Enough Sleep and Staying Healthy

Being involved with college athletics is like having a full time job. You have classes everyday, practices each afternoon or evening, games, meetings, weightlifting, bus rides and morning workouts too. If added up, the time spent at these activities much outweighs the amount of time that is left for an athlete to have to himself or herself. When athletes finally get back to their rooms and have extra time, they need to do homework. Many times the urge to sleep is a lot stronger than the urge to study.

It is important for student-athletes to find a balance between academics, athletics, and sleep in order to stay healthy both mentally and physically.

Results of a recent Stanford study reflect this belief that student athletes perform better with more sleep. “Student athletes should absolutely get more sleep than the average student because they are exerting their bodies more during the day,” said Lacy Higgins, a New York certified emergency medical technician. “An athlete who does not get the appropriate amount of rest and sleep in conjunction to how much energy they exert during the day will suffer not only ath-letically, but academically.”

AN ATHLETE WHO DOES NOT GET THE APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF SLEEP IN CONJUNCTION TO HOW MUCH ENERGY THEY EXERT DURING THE DAY WILL SUFFER NOT ONLY ATHLETICALLY, BUT ACADEMICALLY.

[03] Avoiding Injury For many

students, paying for a college

education would be very difficult, if not impossible, without col-lege sports. For students who are lucky enough to earn generous athletic scholarships, participa-tion in college sports can have serious consequences.

As Dr. James Andrews, an or-thopedic surgeon, stated, “Youth sports injuries are reaching epi-demic proportions.”

“Regardless of whether the athlete is a professional, an amateur, an Olympian or a young recreational athlete, the number of sports injuries is increasing, but the escalation of injuries in kids is the most alarming of them all,” Andrews adds.

“The athletes are getting big-ger and faster, and that means bigger collisions,” said Mike Wasik, clinical coordinator of the sports medicine program at the UF&Shands Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Institute.

“The human body can only withstand so many collisions before something happens to bring it down, whether your sport is football, soccer, basketball or something else,” he warned when discussing athlete injuries.

Often many student-athletes feel pressured to do well and push

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themselves to unrealistic levels. There is the risk of developing injuries and disappointments while competing on the college level. It is important for student-athletes to be smart, keep things in perspective, and not take un-necessary risks to avoid serious, career-ending, injuries.

The most common injuries in young athletes are strains, sprains and bruising. Fractures are the fourth most common, and they occur most often in boys. Girls are more likely to suffer an injury to the anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL, which limits the rotation and formward move-ment of the shin bone. Some injuries, including spinal cord or traumatic brain injury, could affect a youngster for the rest of his or her life.

“OFTEN MANY STUDENT-ATHLETES FEEL PRESSURED TO DO WELL AND TO PUSH THEMSELVES TO UNREALISTIC LEVELS. THERE IS A HIGH RISK OF DEVELOPING INJURIES AND DISAPPOINTMENTS WHILE COMPETING AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL.”

[04] Personal Time The

hardest thing about not having

enough time is we are aways trying to have fun, “said Chirod Williams, a linebacker for the Georgia Tech football team. “We’d like getting out at night, chilling with friends, or doing some other hobbies or activity other than studying or doing something in relation to our sport. Especially here at Georgia Tech we need to study all the time, but it’s hard to stay focused.” Another student, Megan Byrd, a member of the Georgia Tech women’s track team stated, “ In some ways being a varsity athlete restricts me as far as the college experience.”

“What people don’t realize is how much time student-athletes put into what they do.” said Dyran Freedman, graduate head manager for the men’s basketball program. “We make these guys go to class and be on time for everything,” Freedman said. In-deed, every single moment of the team’s day from 7 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., belongs to The University.

The team’s intense schedule not only limits time to have a social life, but time to hold a job.

“In their commitment to being a student-athlete, they take the good with the bad in striving to become the best that they can be academically and athletically.” “An athlete who does not get the appropriate

amount of sleep in conjunction to how much energy they exert during the day will suffer not only athletically, but academically. “

“An athlete who does not get the appropriate amount of sleep in conjunction to how much energy they exert during the day will suffer not only athletically, but academically. “

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“A STUDENT-ATHLETE IS NOT A TITLE EASILY CLAIMED. MANY HOURS, MUCH DEDICATION AND PASSION ARE JUST THE UNDERTONES THAT ARE REQUIRED TO EXCEL IN COLLEGIATE SPORTS.”

[05] Time Management It is very important for student-athletes

to learn how to manage their time and keep their priorities straight-We took the time to interview a student-athlete at Sacred Heart University. Taariq Cayne is a junior studying Economics and Finance while competing with the indoor outdoor track team. We asked him the following questions: What do you feel you have gained from being a student-athlete? Do you feel as though you are missing out on any experiences or regret your decision to become a student-athlete? He responded in the following way:

“I couldn’t imagine not being a student-athlete, there however are pros and cons. Being a student athlete has given me the opportunity to network not only with my teammates but also their families and other alumni. I have also had the opportunity to travel and experi-ence different parts of the region which, has helped to mold my life skills. Above all, my sport has financed my education and without it I wouldn’t be here today. Of course there are also sacrifices including missing the Friday night party or your girlfriend’s birthday, but all and all I wouldn’t change it for anything in the world” (Cayne).

Student athletes have to be able to use time management skills and much organization in order to get everything done that they need to have completed. Even though there are disadvantages, student-athletes learn to make certain sacrifices that give value to their priorities. In their commitment to being a student-athlete, they take the good with the bad in striving to become the best that they can be both academically and athletically.

Efficient time management is one of the biggest factors in academic success. As a student-athlete, one has far less time available for studying or socializing than most other college students. Because of rigorous practice and training commitments, in addition to all of their various academic responsibilities, time management is essen-tial for athletes.

Organization is vital to successful time management. Know what academic responsibilities and deadlines lie ahead. The best way to do this is to use a calendar or planner that allows one to look at the whole semester. As one looks at the calendar for each month, write in all tests, due dates for papers, competitions, travel dates, etc. This helps the student-athlete to see conflicts or weeks that are especially busy so they can work ahead and prepare for things in advance.

A student-athlete is not a title easily claimed. Many hours, much dedication and passion are just the undertones that are required to excel in collegiate sports.

“This is your job,” Shyrone Chatman said, senior member of the men’s basketball team.

Not only does Chatman prac-tice with his team, but he also practices on his own to keep himself on top of his game, not allowing time to work if he wanted to.

Since the team plays ev-ery Christmas, Chatman has missed his Christmas with his family for two of his total four years of playing a college sport.

Despite the demanding sched-ules of all student-athletes, it is important for them to find personal time for themselves, to do something other than studying or their sport, in order to maintain a healthy balance and avoid, as much as possible, undo stress and depression.

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