Waking up early, staying up late – this is nothing new to student athletes. Sports will bring you to incredible highs and incredible lows. 

My name is Hailey Christy and I have been a member of the Bolles varsity soccer team for the past four years, and I also play soccer with the United Soccer Alliance. I have played soccer my entire life, so needless to say I understand the struggle of juggling school, sports, and everything in between. But even though I know the struggle of managing all these things, I also know the joys that come along with it. 

Quite often when I’m running around the soccer field, tired, out of breath, my legs aching, I find myself asking, why? Why do I willingly go run around a field kicking a ball at six in the morning? Why do I play until 9:30 at night when I could just go home? When I really look back at all my experiences in soccer I find my answer: because I love it. Even through the heartbreaking losses, long nights and early mornings, broken bones and bruises, the truth is I play soccer because I love it. And while soccer has caused me endless headaches, it has also given me some of my best memories. And, on top of this, it gave me a family, a family I will forever be grateful for. But soon, I will be hanging up my cleats, possibly never to pick them back up again. 

The point I’m getting at is that you should enjoy high school sports while they last, because even after years of complaining, one year you will be wishing that you could go back. So soak in every bus ride home and everyone minute on the field. It is those small moments with your team that you will cherish the most. So although sometimes it’s rough, when I look back at my favorite moments from high school, a lot of them come from sports. 

Sports can really take a toll on you physically and mentally. Between practices, games, team meals, and tournaments, it can feel as if you have no free time. Even still after all of this, you’re somehow expected to find the time and energy to do all your homework, study for tests, and create some sort of social life. Sometimes it’s hard to put the student in student athlete. I personally find myself falling behind in all my classes and losing motivation to do work as my free time dwindles and my sleeping schedule falls apart. But, throughout my years of high school, I have found some tricks to somehow make it all work even with a busy schedule. 

Although the afternoons of student athletes may be filled with sports, there is plenty of time to get work done during the school day. Between zero hour, activities, and breaks in between classes, there is about two hours of free time that can be taken advantage of. Does this mean you should go lockdown in the library anytime you have free time during school? No. You should still hang out with friends and have fun during your free time. However, you can still get work done when talking and laughing with your friends. Sometimes it’s nice to have your work open when sitting and talking with your friends. Do a couple problems, crack a couple jokes, do a few more problems, make a couple comments. Getting work done while surrounded by your friends is more fun than doing it alone anyways. So, instead of having to stay up late at night doing homework after a game or practice, do yourself a favor and get it done beforehand. 

One of my biggest tips for student athletes is to make good use of your weekends. While you may find yourself overwhelmed with games and practices during the week, the weekend is a good time to catch up on everything. If you dedicate just a couple hours over the weekend to getting work done, it will make the rest of your busy week much easier. If you have a project due on Wednesday, and you know you are going to have a game and practice on Monday and Tuesday, just go ahead and get the project done over the weekend. In the moment it may seem annoying, but your future self will appreciate it. 

And if you don’t already play a sport, do not be afraid to step outside your comfort zone. It is never too late to pick up a sport and try something new. Before sophomore year, I had never picked up a softball bat, but since I couldn’t get a ride home after school until 5:30, I decided to pick up softball instead of just sitting around until I could get a ride. Although my season was cut short by a broken collarbone, being a part of the softball team was still a fun and rewarding experience. And even though I couldn’t hit the ball as far as everyone else or throw as accurately, I still made a lot of good memories and it was a lot more rewarding than just sitting around. Even if you do not play a sport now, it is never too late to start. 

At times sports will be exhausting, and when times get rough you may question why you started playing in the first place. When you’re feeling worn down, just remember that sports will also bring you some of your best memories, so just keep pushing even when it’s tough. The truth is, sports teams create an amazing environment that you cannot find anywhere else. As someone who has committed myself to soccer for twelve years (with this year possibly being my last), I can assure you that the joy, family, and memories I found in soccer completely outweigh all of the hard times.