The Rare Blessing of Free Time

“Free time is a blessing,” said University Liggett School senior Ned Hayes. For many student-athletes, free time can feel rare. Student athlete schedules are usually filled with practices, games, workouts, and homework. In some cases, time with family and friends has to be sacrificed due to the expectations of student-athletes.

Finding balance can be hard. Student-athletes are commonly overwhelmed with academics. According to Global Town School, an online private school, “Balancing the demanding schedules of both academics and athletics is a significant challenge faced by students.” Many students have to find time to do school work, whether that’s during free periods, right after school, or after practices. 

Zia Cooke, a graduate of St. Francis Catholic High School wrote, “Time management is crucial for all multi-sport athletes to achieve success in the classroom and as athletes. Tips that I utilize today include using a planner, maximizing my free time at school, as well as cherishing my time with my sport.”

D.J. Brooks, a senior at Liggett, said, “I make sure I get all my work done before practice start.” Although Brooks said he sometimes feels overwhelmed being a student-athlete, that doesn’t impact his performance on the field.

Ned Hayes, another senior at Liggett, said, “Don’t procrastinate, do everything when you have the opportunity to.”

Another key factor is communication. Liggett senior P.J. Walker said, “I’m pretty good at communicating with my teachers.” He went on to say,  “My teachers are most of the time pretty understanding.” 

“Sometimes if I’m not in the right mindset, I’ll just be thinking about too many things at once,” senior Joey Harris said. Harris said he balances school work and sports by finishing work before practices and making sure his schedule is clear. 

According to an article from the JED Foundation, a non-profit organization that advocates for protecting emotional health, setting social media limits, getting enough sleep, focusing on what you can control, getting help when needed, and centering yourself in high-stress situations, are ways that student athletes can mitigate the amount of stress from balancing sports and academics.