JUPITER CHRISTIAN SCHOOL At Jupiter Christian School we have a lot of student athletes. Students are balancing homework, practices, games, and still trying to have a life outside of school. Even though it looks fun from the outside, it actually takes a lot of energy and time management. One of the biggest struggles students talked about is how busy their schedules get. Sloane Shay, a seventh grader who plays soccer and volleyball, explained how stressful it can be “Going from school, then homework, and then straight to my sport that’s a lot to manage,” she said. She practices around 10 hours a week and sometimes has to skip warm ups just to finish her homework.
Other students are even busier. Collins plays both basketball and track, she spends about 24 hours a week practicing. She said the key is to put school first “I just make sure that I put schoolwork before sports,” she said. Still, doing both at the same time can be hard. Austin, and Grayson both play baseball, Austin says he plays 30 “minutes” of sports per week. Aubrey and Sloane play both soccer and volleyball Aubrey plays about “38” hours of sports and Sloane plays about “8” hours of sports. With the most sports Drew who plays lacrosse, soccer, and basketball she plays about “9” hours of sports. She tells us that she is glad she is an athlete because she says “I think being a student athlete makes me more determined both ways”
A lot of student athletes also deal with stress. Drew, who plays three sports, said one of the hardest parts is “having to study for tests and get projects done with multiple practices the same day.” To deal with that, students find different ways to relax. Sloane said she listens to music or takes a break to clear her mind when she feels overwhelmed.
Not everyone struggles with grades, though. Aubrey O said she stays on top of everything by doing her homework right after school. “Heck no, man. All A’s,” she said. For her, staying organized makes a big difference.
Motivation is another big part of being a student athlete. Some students said their parents push them, while others think about their future. Collins said if her grades drop, she can’t play sports, which keeps her focused. Grayson, who plays baseball, basketball and football, said he stays motivated by thinking long term. “If you want to become an MLB player, you’ve got to keep working hard,” he said.
Even though it can be stressful, most students agree that playing a sport actually helps them. Aubrey said it teaches responsibility, and Grayson said it helps him stay focused and manage time better.
A typical day for these students is pretty packed. Most of them go to school, then straight to practice, and then go home to finish homework later at night. Some even have multiple practices in one day. It’s a lot, but they still make it work.
At Jupiter Christian School, student athletes are doing more than just playing sports they’re learning how to balance everything in their lives. And even though it’s not always easy, it’s something that will help them in the future.
