Wake up, eat, go to school, play sports, do homework, sleep and repeat. Managing time with practices, games and day-to-day life is difficult enough for students who play sports. So how do Sage Creek student-athletes manage their time when there are only so many hours in a day?
Daisy Byrnes is a junior on varsity lacrosse and a goalie who understands that being a student-athlete is time-consuming but also rewarding.
“I’ve had to learn not to procrastinate as much as I used to,” Byrnes said. Her daily schedule consists of waking up at 6 a.m., arriving at school by 8 a.m., staying on campus after classes and doing homework before her practice ends at 7 p.m.
After this, she can finally go home, relax and prepare for the next day. Byrnes tries her best to maximize her time by doing her homework during her free time and fighting the urge to be on her phone. She hopes to continue improving her lacrosse skills both individually and as a team.
According to Open Medical Publishing, “Approximately 57% of all high school students participate in one or more sports,” and almost “91% had experienced certain levels of stress due to playing a sport.” This connects to Sage Creek student-athletes, and although it can both be difficult and cause pressure on teens, there are some ways to manage these emotions.
Running a mile on the track is exhausting enough, but Aidin Baca is a sophomore who is familiar with this and does long-distance running for track and field. He tries his best to complete homework during school so he doesn’t have much after practice. If this strategy doesn’t work out because of a greater amount of homework than usual, he will find other solutions.
“I find time to do it after track but always manage to get it done,” Baca said. Some students participate in sports outside of school like Lily DeSimone, who is a sophomore and a blue and green belt in karate at Key Martial Arts. She practices two times a week from 7 to 8 p.m. and makes sure she completes her homework right after school.
“It is a great experience and I enjoy making new friends while putting my skills to work,” said DeSimone.
From mat to bat, Bella Werts is a freshman on JV softball and plays first base. She manages her time by waking up early in the morning to study for tests and doing homework after practice.
“My favorite part of being on the team is the girls and the family-like community,” Werts said.
Typically Werts will wake up at 6 a.m., go for a run, go to school, practice from 3:45-6 p.m. every day and complete her homework before she goes to sleep at 10 p.m.
Kieren Lucas, a sophomore on JV baseball, is a first baseman with a rigorous and busy schedule. His typical morning starts off by waking up at 5 a.m. and going to the gym. After that, he goes to school and participates in all of his classes until having practice from dismissal to 5:30 p.m.
Following practice, he returns home, completes his homework and relaxes. Kieren guarantees his overall performance by taking well-needed breaks and rests.
“One way I stay motivated is by telling myself I haven’t come this far to quit,” said Lucas.
Benjamin DeCamp is a junior on the boys varsity tennis team and has a strict routine to ensure he manages his time. He schedules his time outside of school by completing homework and studying for tests after practice.
“I cram study before tests and that helps me to understand everything. For tennis I make sure to eat carbs the night before to help my energy levels,” DeCamp said.
One challenge he has faced when managing tennis and school is dealing with the need for sleep throughout the day. This makes it difficult for him to want to complete homework but one way he overcomes this is by getting enough sleep and de-stressing.
As the spring season begins and the third trimester approaches, each student-athlete will have to continue their methods to stay active on the field and ready for finals. Their dedication and hard work show that there are promising wins on the horizon. All of these teens proudly represent both Sage Creek athletics and Sage Creek academics.
