Being a student-athlete has never been an easy struggle. Juggling the sports,  the school and social life is a full time job these days. Student-athletes must not only balance the role of being a student, they must also strive to be a well rounded athlete.

It is estimated that about 400,000 student athletes participate in athletic games each year. Many of those thousands receive scholarships from their sport they do according to livestrong.com.

In order to be a successful student athlete, a person must be willing to dedicate a lot of time practicing, be able to be prepared for all of the obstacles that can come along the way (ex. School stress, personal stress, relationship stress), injuries, and lack of sleep due to the incredibly busy schedules.

“I spend about 14-15 hours a week practicing basketball, it can get very hard to balance school and sports but I always try my best to have everything together,” explained a JV basketball and softball player, Araceli Gonzalez.

Having hours of practice can lead to some very high level stress moments. Trying to find a balance between academics and athletics is incredibly difficult. It takes a hardworking and dedicated person to be determined enough to achieve their goals. Having a strong mindset will lead to a more ideal and likely more positive situation. Most sports are mental sports, testing your endurance and perseverance.

Studies shows high school athletes perform better in school and persist to graduation more than non-athletes. The students must pass five credit units per semester to be eligible to play any sport they want, making them more motivated to be successful students. According to CIF regulations, schools require the students must be in school to be allowed to attend practice or play in a game that day.

“I enjoy doing sports but keeping up with school is more important than anything. Sometimes things can get crazy but I try my best to manage between sports and school,” Alana a JV soccer player explained.

According to Livestrong.com, in their article, “Does Participation in Sports Negatively Affect Academics” addresses the issue that,  “many youth athletes become increasingly stressed as they strive to maintain academic eligibility while advancing through their school years.”

Which is true for many students. If you do not have the grades you will not be eligible to play any sports.