LIFE OF A STUDENT ATHLETE

Life of a Student Athlete ELI FLEISCHER, staff writer

School, in and of itself, is a difficult part of teenage life. In most instances, it feels like our lives completely revolve around school. However, when the eight-hour brick of learning ceases at 3:30 p.m. most of us wander our separate ways for the remainder of the evening. Some of us pursue studying. Others choose video games or clubs. And then there are the athletes. The student athletes are esteemed individuals amongst the school crowds, for instance, the football team walking through the hallways, heads-high on gameday in their cardinal ensembles. If you pay 15 bucks (or join Gladiator Army) you can see the team perform against other high schools - making plays and moving the chains as the clock winds down long into the night. But these players are just like the rest of us: they have upcoming tests, pending homework, and not to mention, the SAT and the ACT. So, what does this rigorous schedule look like? Many students choose to play a sport, which includes tons of positive impacts, too. Student athletes, in a lot of cases, use sports as an escape from the stresses of school. “Having a sport after school allows your brain to take a break from the stresses of school. When you’re out there on the field you forget about the academic aspects of life and it gives your mind a chance to relax and decompress.” Kyle Eggleston, a junior at Johns Creek High School, claims. Additionally, on average, students that play sports have better standardized test scores than those who do not. This is partly because sports greatly improve memory and problem-solving skills, while at the same time, allowing students to stay physically and mentally healthy as well. However, playing a sport is oftentimes met with tough schedules for students. The Johns Creek Swim and Dive Team competes during the Winter season in our renowned Pool on the Roof (see seniors for ticket prices), yet most swimmers compete year-round at clubs such as Dynamo, Spartans and Swim Atlanta. This proves challenging as these student athletes look to balance sports and academics. Nate Perez, a swimmer for both Johns Creek High School and Dynamo Swim Club, scrutinizes his swim schedule. He, like many other athletes here at the Creek, practices in both the mornings and afternoons during the school week, as well as on Saturday mornings. This transition from sports to school causes some internal hysteria, as students will be moving and exercising, then proceed to sit still and learn for eight hours. This, combined with a second practice in the afternoon, risks overscheduling, which can be detrimental to the young mind. Overscheduling, or having an overflow of extracurriculars, contributes to poor psychosocial adjustments, as well as compromising relationships between friends and undermining bonds between students and parents. These negative impacts of being a student athlete, as noted by the Society for Research in Child Development, are created through a lack of free time and immense physical exertion for multiple hours a day. To be a student athlete, you have to take the good and the bad. To be a student athlete, you have to work hard. To be a student athlete, you have to overcome obstacles. To be a student athlete, you learn to apprecaite it as well. This is what it means to be a student athlete.