Is it hard to be a successful student athlete and manage schoolwork as well? Senior Hailey Larsen claims it can be easy. “Schoolwork comes before sports always. If you can’t keep your grades up, you can’t become a better athlete,” Larsen said. She’s giving a message to younger athletes who want to continue athletics through high school and keep their schoolwork consistent as well.
Larsen is a multi-sport athlete, involved in cross-country, basketball and softball. For basketball she plays center or forward, and for softball she either plays outfield or second base. “On Saturday when (cross-country) meets are more important, the bus usually leaves early. I have all my stuff ready the night before. I sleep on the bus, and once we get to the location, we walk the course. Then, we go to the line and run three miles,” Larsen said.
Although Larsen doesn’t have a hard time managing her schoolwork, it isn’t always the case for student athletes. According to Top End Sports, student athletes’ success in school depends on the student. Their ability to manage their time, set personal goals and stay consistent affects their success in both school and athletics: “Many students face an uphill battle between academic success and their ambition to play a sport at a high level.”
Senior Marlie Orlandi also finds it easy to balance her school and athletic life. She plays golf and basketball, and she’s either a two guard or shooting guard in basketball. She is in co-op, so she only attends school for half a day. “At school is where I grind to get all my work done so after school I can focus on my athletics and what I need to do whether it’s lifting, running, practicing or watching film,” Orlandi said.
Orlandi advises underclassmen to manage their time wisely by not staying up too late and doing their schoolwork instead of being on their phones. She says that when at school, students should focus on school and get as much done as possible, so their schedule doesn’t feel crammed after.
Orlandi walks through a day in her life with a golf meet. “I wake up in the morning get ready for my meet by dressing for the weather, then I head to the bus and normally eat a bagel with peanut butter. On the bus I try to keep my mind off the match to try and stay calm instead of nervous,” Orlando said. Once she gets on the course, she goes to the putting green, and then to the chipping green until it’s her time to tee off. She tries to stay as positive as possible, whether she’s having a rough round or the best round of her life.
Acknowledging that being nervous before games and meets is normal, Orlandi describes how she feels when preparing for basketball games. “As we head out to the court to warm up I’m normally super nervous and get a stomachache, but as warmups continue, I slowly get less nervous. After warmups during announcements is my last chance to focus and get my head straight for the game,” Orlandi said.
Being a high school athlete can be a struggle sometimes, but when you persevere, it can be easy. Larsen and Orlandi are perfect examples of successful athletes who have continued to keep their school life and athletic life balanced.
