Sagesse Kosche, Opinion and Blogs Editor

Featured Graphic by Sagesse Kosche

Roughly 30 percent of females play sports, 35.9 percent of males play sports at NCHS, whether it be varsity, JV, or freshman. Students also take classes that will look the best on college applications, which can mean more work and less free time. These student athletes shared their experiences with balancing school and sports. 

Managing Time

Senior Jack Crowell is a three season athlete for NCHS: he plays football, ice hockey, and lacrosse. Jack manages his time outside of class by keeping a consistent routine, even during summer break. “I try to have a schedule for workouts, schoolwork, and everything else. Staying consistent makes it easier for me to stay prepared both academically and athletically,” Jack said. 

Assignments need designated work time, and when students do them depends on the due date of the assignment.  “For short-term assignments, I try to get them done as soon as possible. For long-term assignments, I break them up and work on them little by little,” he said.

Sophomore Georgina Harrington is a runs track year-round and is a second year varsity member. Her management of assignments changes depending on the day. “It kind of depends on how heavy either sports or academics are on a given day. If I have a meet, or a bunch of races coming up, I focus a little bit more on sports and try to get my work done quicker,” she said. 

As many students do, free periods or down time are used to get work done or get a head start on an ongoing project. Normally, students have one to two free periods every couple of days, along with bus rides to games or down time in class. Harrington uses them during her meets, in the time spent waiting for the race to begin or the travel to the stadium. 

Ongoing assignments aren’t just projects, they can also be big tests or on demand essays. Both of which require proper preparation, which takes time away from an already packed day. Junior Haley Schlafman competes for New Canaan’s soccer and lacrosse teams, she recently committed to Columbia University for lacrosse. She shared some of the ways she prepares for large assignments despite her commitments. “Preparing ahead of time makes a huge difference. I try to start studying a couple of days before a big test instead of waiting until the night before. I’ll also bring my homework and study materials on the bus and put my headphones in so I can get work done during the long rides. It’s definitely not always easy, but I’ve learned how to make the most of the time I have and not let a busy schedule become an excuse,” she said.

Haley manages her assignments depending on how soon they are due and how much free work time she has. “For short-term assignments, I usually try to get them done as soon as I can so they aren’t hanging over me. If I have a long-term assignment and know I have a busy week coming up, I’ll usually try to get a lot of it done over the weekend. That way, I’m not constantly thinking about it during the week and can focus on whatever I have going on that day. I think using those little chunks of time makes a huge difference because it gives me more free time later to relax and spend time with my friends and family,,” Haley said. 

The schedule of a student athlete even at the high school may seem daunting, but Haley appreciates the stricter schedule. “Having so much going on keeps me motivated and gives me something to work toward every day,” Haley said. 

Sports and Discipline

Having good discipline and strong habits helps keep students on track. “Sports make me have to manage my time better. I used to be a huge procrastinator and leave everything until the day before it’s due and I just can’t do that anymore or else it won’t get done,” said Harrington. 

Haley and sister Riley Schlafman, also a junior at NCHS, both play sports and push themselves academically. When speaking on discipline Haley mentioned some benefits to having a sister that shares similar aspirations and expectations for herself. “She motivates me without even realizing it, and she’s also always on me about practicing or staying on top of things. We both have high goals for ourselves, so we push each other academically and athletically. We also love doing things together, which makes working hard a lot more fun when you have a buddy by your side,” Haley said.

Haley has been pushing herself to improve her habits so she is properly prepared for the next year. “I want to make sure my skills don’t just stay where they are, but continue to improve leading up to college. For example, I’ll challenge myself to get a certain number of shots every day or set small goals that I can work toward. Preparing for college is about building good habits now so that I’m ready for the academic and athletic expectations when I get there” she said. 

Social v. Academic v. Sports

Family and friends are a support network for Crowell, who mentioned how he leans on his friends and family for help when things feel overwhelming, specifically during his college application process. His sister, who he mentioned, helped him edit and revise his supplemental essays. 

School and sports may feel exhausting but for students like Haley, her social life is also an important component. “I really prioritize spending time with my friends, family, and teammates, both during the season and outside of sports. I think I’m happiest when I’m around the people I love, so making time for them is really important to me,” she said.

As Haley puts it; “Having that balance and giving yourself time to rest is really important. I don’t want every part of my life to feel like work, so I make sure I’m still making time for the people and things that make me happy.”