Balancing academics and athletics is no easy task, but many student-athletes at our school find creative ways to make it work. Between early mornings, long practices, and late night study sessions, these students show dedication both in the classroom and on the field.
For some, like Lilly Petrie, time management means working whenever and wherever possible. “I do homework in the car and any time I can, even if it’s at 12 at night,” she said. Lilly’s schedule is packed from the moment she wakes up. “I wake up, go to school, then head straight to my sport with a snack. I eat in the car, do homework or study on the way home, then shower and go to bed.” Her day is a nonstop cycle of learning, training, and finding small pockets of time to stay on top of her work.
Ali Wertz also uses every spare moment to keep up with schoolwork. “Any bus rides or time in between practice I use to do homework or work I need to catch up on,” she explained. This helps her have some downtime later in the evening. Her typical day starts early, too. “I wake up for school, come home for a little bit after, get ready for practice or a game, and do homework. After that, I get ready for bed and finish more work if I need to.”
Both students agree that balancing school and sports can be challenging. Ali says, “Yes, because sometimes there’s loads of homework and you don’t have that much time in a day to get it done if you don’t have breaks.”
Despite the challenges, student-athletes like Lilly and Ali continue to push through with determination. Their stories highlight the discipline and time management it takes to succeed both academically and athletically, a balance that reflects the dedication of so many students at our school.
