An athlete’s schedule consists of waking up, going to school, going to practice for their sport, then going to sleep. Adding in homework, eating, naps, jobs, and more, everything gets even more complicated.

     “You don’t have enough time to do what you want to do for yourself,” junior Taylor Lumpkin said. “If you want to do a sport, you will have to have a lot of dedication because it takes up your time.” 

     Students have to get good at managing their time, especially if they have classes that give out a lot of homework or if they have an after-school job. 

     “[Sports] can fill your schedule… It’s hard to find time to do what you want,” senior Kendra James said. 

     Despite some of the drawbacks, many students find the constant organization of their schedule helpful. “Practicing every single day and getting pushed to get better… it definitely keeps you going,” Lumpkin said. Athletes are often able to stay in shape and pick up a new sport quicker when transitioning between seasons, due to having already been in shape. 

     “It’s an outlet for if I am stressed from school or other things outside of school,” James said. Students are able to use practices to have a few hours where they can just focus on working out and practicing for their next game. 

     “You will have a little time to not worry about school while playing,” basketball coach Derek Duman said. 

     Students even find themselves being able to meet new people through sports, gaining a team that will support them in and outside of sports. “Some positives are making friends and keeping healthy, though mostly making friends. Most of my friends are from sports I’ve played,” sophomore Austin Simmons said. 

     Despite how brutal it can be having to constantly be shuffling between different parts of their lives, these athletes have shown that it often is worth it in many ways, from friendships to learning valuable 

\fe skills. Sports may rough up its players, but they will just come back twice as strong.