Being a student-athlete is not for the faint of heart, and it can be especially daunting for many students at Oak Park High School, who often take on multiple AP classes, volunteer and have jobs. It may seem impossible if you haven’t built the right habits. However, there may just be a trick to it after all.
50.7% of children and adolescents take up a sport, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Some may even play multiple. Junior Lia Langschultz participates in flag football during summer, basketball in winter and track in spring.
“I love playing so it’s another opportunity for me,” Langschultz said. “I just love sports, so I want to do it all year round.”
There are also many individuals who chose to play sports outside of school. For example, some might choose to do it in addition to their sport at OPHS.
“I like doing it [tennis] both inside and outside of school so that I can always stay fresh and always keep my game up to a good level,” junior Anika Amladi said. “I always try to practice on and off-season. Especially, off-season so I can maintain my spot on the team and not fall back on my rankings.”
Other students pick off-campus sports for greater selection and opportunity.
“I do a form of Indian classic dance called Bharatanatyam and it’s something I’ve been doing since I was five years old,” junior Meera Shreedhar said. “It’s a very common dance form in India, my dad is from South India and my mom is from Zambia, so when they came to the United States and found this incredible teacher they put me in it …I just think I’ve been doing dance for 10 plus years so I’ve always kind of been doing something that’s not necessarily tied to any school or school district.”
There are many factors to take into consideration if you are struggling to decide which pathway to take. Each road has its positives and negatives.
“When I’m playing for the school there’s always a little more pressure, like you have to win for the school, your teammates and to look good for the coach,” Amladi said. “There is still a little bit of that pressure outside, but not as much because you’re playing for yourself.”
The idea is that you choose whatever path best fits your schedule and plans for the future.
“Missing practice because you have to study is not an excuse to miss practice, and I’ve definitely used it,” Lanschultz said. “You should have been studying before. And, if you’re tired, you should go to sleep earlier.”
When you’re playing a sport, however you do it, it is important to avoid procrastinating. While some might have different methods to achieve this, it is generally agreed among athletes at OPHS that dragging out unnecessary tasks is an ineffective way to go about things.
“It requires a lot of planning,” Shreedhar said. “I’ve had to eliminate a lot of my procrastination because there is no time for it. [I do] a lot of schoolwork on the way to dance and on the way home. I just have to keep organized and on top of my schedule.”
If you can learn to prioritize, you have a better chance at achieving your goals.
“Don’t let the pressure of school stop you from pursuing a sport or activity outside of school you want to do,” Shreedhar said. “There are definitely ways to manage your schedule, so I think if there’s something you love that you want to pursue to not let school stop you.”
