By Luis Hernandez Espinoza,
Staff Writer.
Being great on the court and in the classroom is not a walk in the park. A requirement to participate in all sports is having a 2.0 GPA. So how can we maximize our time to become great students and athletes?
A great way to start is by writing down personal goals. Whether these goals relate to academics or athletics, being able to see and track them tends to motivate our minds. Working in advance and not procrastinating saves tons of time and stress for our future selves. “Anytime I’m not doing sports, I get my homework done first and then do other hobbies afterwards,” said senior athlete Kai Callendar. “Procrastination is your worst enemy as a student athlete.”
Since time is very limited, Callendar, who participates in both our basketball and football programs, weighed in: “Just do the schoolwork; I know it sucks having to do it, but everyone has to do it, so might as well get it done instead of procrastinating. You know, turn off the phone for a minute.” Keeping track of and writing down your assignments and goals and preventing procrastination is key to maintaining good grades throughout sports seasons.
Communication is key. An overload of assignments usually ends up being the downfall of student athletes. Collaborating and building a relationship with your teachers and your peers truly helps. Team study halls are being reintroduced to some of our sports programs, so try to take time out of your day and collaborate with some teammates to start your own study group.
“Reaching out for help is the number one thing,” said principal Dr. Mark Ryan. “I encourage [student athletes] to reach out to their teachers and also to reach out to me and tell me that they need help, and I do anything in my power to help.” If you’re struggling, push yourself outside of your comfort zone and reach out, as there are many resources available to help you get back on track.
Maintaining positive habits is crucial to achieving success academically and athletically. Be sure to keep yourself in check with communication and preparation to reduce stress and raise performance.
