Story by Kaiden Tremain

Most athletes struggle with stress, completing their work, and staying focused. But here at Discovery, most of our student-athletes know how to balance being a great athlete with staying focused in school.

The first thing most student-athletes like Heath Nichols struggle with is doing homework after practice or after a game. “Really, the hardest thing for me is getting home and being so tired that you rush to do things so you can go to sleep on time,” said Heath. His comment shows that he still prioritizes his schoolwork even after a long day.

Another big struggle for student-athletes is maintaining their grades. “I’ve never really had a time where sports have dragged down my grades,” said sophomore Javien Griffith. This demonstrates that even very talented athletes still prioritize their schoolwork and don’t let sports drag their grades down.

Sometimes we ask why students play sports when it’s so stressful to balance both. “It’s like an escape from life; it’s a way to be me, and it really does relieve stress,” said Ty Roberts. This shows that despite all the stress, being a student-athlete can be beneficial in many ways.

One last thing we asked was: What is the reward you get from being a student-athlete? “I wouldn’t say there’s one exact reward; for me, I think becoming better at the little things and proving myself is a great reward, and winning,” said Gary Li. This shows that there is never just one reward, but different rewards depending on the person.

Being a student-athlete is not always easy, but Discovery athletes show that with good time management and dedication, it is possible to succeed in both school and sports.