High school athletes are faced with a dilemma when they make the commitment to play a sport. They play two roles: the role of an athlete and the role of a student. These students do their best to excel in their chosen sport, while attempting to maintain their grades. This challenge varies from students, and could be harder based on work ethic, course difficulty, and time taken by the student’s sport.

Student -athletes face the challenge of trying to juggle grades and sports. Sarah Murphy, senior and captain of the swim team, believes that swimming makes it harder to maintain her good grades in her AP classes.

“I think [sports commitments] make it harder to maintain good grades, especially in harder classes. Some nights, I have to skip homework in certain subjects because I need enough sleep to do well in school, or in a meet the next day.”

Even with the difficulty in squeezing in homework and studying, Murphy maintains the same good grades throughout the year, despite the tight schedule.

Bishme Sheppard, junior running back, also believes that sports makes it difficult to maintain the same grades, but it all comes down to committing himself to his school work.

“It’s all about committing yourself on and off the field, and of course grades come first, said Sheppard.

He, along with Murphy, does not believe that playing a sport lowers his grade.

Jordan Jones, a senior linebacker, believes that the football season negatively affects his grades.

“My grades definitely drop during football season, ” said Jones.

Students in different grade and course loads manage to have the same grades during their seasons, but it comes down to how they use their time. When it comes to keeping grades up during sports season, students are faced with a lack of time. Typically, sports practices run two to three hours, nearly cutting free time in half. Students have to commit themselves to using their limited time wisely, losing time with friends in order to keep good grades.

“I don’t have much of a social life during swim. I do hang out with my team at practice every day, but I barely see my friends outside the pool. It’s a bummer, but it’s something I have to sacrifice for good grades during the season, said Murphy.

Sheppard and Jones also face the same challenge, as they dedicate most of their time after football practice to homework.

The challenge of being both a good student and an athlete is one many students face.  The factor that matters most of mastering being a student-athlete is how the students dedicate their time to both school and sports.