Students at Lake Shore High School in the 2021-2022 school year have many opinions on how they like sports with the school. There can be many positive and negative aspects in doing both together.

Sports can take up a lot of students’ lives. Having many practices, games, competitions, can get overwhelming. On top of this, students are in school from 7:55 am to 3:01 pm. After school, most students get assigned homework to do, as well. This can easily lead to students being stressed out because of such a tight schedule.

Ella Mainhardt, a cheerleader at Lake Shore High School, states, “My schedule is very crammed having to fit in homework, studying, time to shower and relax, and still getting enough sleep.” This can lead to students being stressed out, not doing well in school, and not taking care of themselves.

On the other hand, some students feel that balancing school and sports isn’t a problem.

Andrew Maison, a basketball player at Lake Shore High School, states, “…at school I don’t screw around so, when there’s extra time given, I always get my other work done.”

Being a good student can be a huge part of being an athlete. At Lake Shore High School, in order to be able to play sports, you need to be passing four out of your six classes. This can be very hard for students without sports so athletes must be dedicated students and have good time management. Sports can help you stay on top of things while also doing what you love.

In addition, sports can be good for students because of the distraction. This can get their mind off many things they tend to worry about and help them cope through certain situations. Having friends on the team also helps as well.

Mainhardt states, “…the sport has led me making more friends, I feel like I have a family at the school with the people on my team and the coaches.” Having people around you that make you feel safe and happy can help with making school a better place. This is why being in sports can be a positive thing, as well.

In some circumstances, athletes can put their academic success at risk while playing sports. Students have a higher risk of injuries when playing sports because of the large amount of strain put on their bodies. There is also a greater possibility of a concussion. When having a concussion, it can be hard to focus on anything, including school work. Having other physical injuries such as a break or a sprain would also be a burden to an athlete causing them difficulty to get to classes without assistance. Injuries can even affect an athlete’s future. Athletes are putting their health at risk when playing their sport.

Sports can be difficult because it adds more things to an already busy schedule. Athletes need to dedicate their time to their academics, sports, family, friends, and possibly a job or boyfriend/girlfriend. It is a lot to manage but it is possible and there can be a lot of benefits to playing a sport in high school. Good balance is key to finding success and happiness within your sport.