Woods Charter School’s small size hasn’t stopped students from dedicating much of their time to sports. Teams consistently perform well in 1A state tournaments because of the commitment athletes show. But oftentimes, it’s difficult for athletes to balance their schedule, especially at a college prep school.
“We have to practice every day,” said Atanas Milchev, a senior on the men’s basketball team.
Although Milchev has been able to manage his time well, he says the combination of homework, studying, and stressors like the college application process can make it difficult to get to practice every day. Fortunately, while it can feel like a struggle to balance rigorous academics and a consistent sports practice schedule, doing so isn’t as impossible as it sometimes seems.
“I think our coaches are generally very fair on [time management] and always say academics go first, so if you have to study for something…it’s no problem, you just have to communicate,” Milchev says.
As much as student-athletes dread situations where they have to choose between going to practice or finishing an assignment, or playing a game or studying for a test, teachers and coaches alike emphasize the importance of putting schoolwork first.
While it’s easy to overlook the ease of getting to practices, Milchev appreciates the convenience.
“Because [sports are] outside of school in Germany, you have to drive or take the train and it’s very time consuming,” the exchange student said.
Contrastingly, practices are right at school at Woods, so many students don’t have to worry about transportation. It may be difficult for students who live far from the school to get to evening practices, but many athletes are able to reduce time pressure by completing homework between 7th period and the start of their practice.
Additionally, American students often benefit from a more manageable workload, despite the stress that assignments and tests bring. Milchev gets much of his homework done during the school day. And while tests in Germany are filled with free-response questions, he’s benefited from having more multiple-choice ones on American exams.
Though it may feel necessary to stay up on nights that require hours upon hours dedicated to school and sports, sleep is incredibly important. While inadequate sleep could result in injuries and bad test grades, being well-rested improves performance in the classroom and the gym. Managing a schedule full of practices and homework can be stressful. But prioritizing schoolwork and sleep—as well as taking advantage of any opportunities to improve efficiency—will reduce stress and enable accomplishment for student-athletes.
