The 2020-2021 school year has been the most difficult year for students by far. The pandemic has really changed the way we live and inside and outside of school. One big challenge this year has been student athletes having to manage their time trying to balance club sports and school.

Student athletes usually deal with more hectic schedules than typical students, and it’s very easy for them to get overwhelmed. But due to the pandemic, a lot of schedules have changed. 

With the change, school ends earlier which gives them more time during the day to finish homework and attend club practice minus the stress. If we were in a regular school year without the pandemic students would usually have to go straight from school to their club sport which can put a lot of pressure and stress on the students.  

“You have to get good at time management. I always write down all the homework I have and make sure I know when all my practice times are. Anytime I know I have practice for a game I make sure to prioritize any of my free time that day to school work. Something helpful is when a teacher gives us free time to work in class and I always try to finish up as much as I can to use that time effectively”, said Maille Smith (’21).

Being a student-athlete comes with a lot of responsibility. Not only are the responsibilities focusing on school but to manage the time in between school and sports. The best way to manage school and sports is to minimize distractions and manage your time wisely.

“Managing school and basketball can be challenging at times, but it helps to create a schedule and routine to rely on so you can get work done on and off the court”, said Cristian Mayo (’22).

This year has been hectic for students with everything happening in the world. Students athletes have had to change the way they manage their time due to the pandemic. The pandemic has changed so many things including athletes’ schedules. This means that student-athletes have had to manage their time a little differently. But they believe the best way to manage both club sports and school is to manage your time and to prioritize everything. It can still be a struggle at times but managing time and prioritizing can make things easier for a student athlete.