Being a college athlete

Ashley Adams races down the far side of the field. The game is in her hands and the only thing separating her and victory is the goal keeper that stands ready for her kick. Adams puts a great move on the defender, pounds the soccer ball with a booming kick, and it hits the back of the net for a goal. The crowd goes wild and the Point Loma Sea Lions win! Her teammates doggie pile on her at mid-field and the fans continue to show their enthusiasm with loud applause.
But when Adams, a senior nursing major, aces her final clinical exam, the crowd is nowhere to be seen or heard.
This is the claim to fame for college athletes. It is a life of praise and/or let down in the sports limelight, and an academic life that many onlookers either forget about or choose to ignore. The pressure of living out their passion of sports and trying to lock down a career is the two-headed monster that these athletes face on a daily basis. It is especially difficult for a dedicated and passionate student like Adams.
“The hardest part is trying to perform in school, have a social life, and get enough sleep to maintain enough focus to dedicate yourself to the team throughout the entire season,” said Adams. “It’s hard to take time for yourself and sometimes you have to force yourself to just pause and take a moment to relax.”
However, these moments can be rare. So how do these student athletes make time for a life outside of sports? For senior water polo player at the University of California Irvine, Kyle Baxter, there really is not much time for life outside of school and sports.
“In a basic day, I wake up at 5:30 a.m., practice for a couple hours, go to classes, come back at 5:30 p.m., and practice for another couple hours,” said Baxter.
But his passion for the sport keeps him sane.
“It can be tiring, and very time consuming so you really have to love the sport and have a passion for putting in all that time or it really isn’t worth it,” he said.
For some student athletes, there are alternatives to make sure to balance school and

sports.

“You just learn how to balance your life,” said PLNU sophomore softball player Jessica Tieszen. “You have to factor in the time you'll be at practice and plan everything else accordingly. But it also means that you'll probably get a little less sleep than what your used too.”
Sacrifices are a given for these athletes. With the addition of a sport, their priorities nearly double; they have to decide what is important and what is not. And sometimes, their mental and physical health has to be compromised.
“During the summers, we play water polo full time, but I come home, sleep, eat, and relax,” said Baxter. “But then school starts, and most of that goes away and you find yourself needing to study. The naps I’m so used to get pushed aside.”
Adams added to this.
“I sacrifice sleep, sanity, and a social life,” said Adams. “Friday we prepare for the game, Saturday we travel to and play the game, and Sunday we are so tired and sore from the game that what energy we have goes towards finishing our last shreds of homework.”
Adams’ former roommate, Nicole Freyschlag, notices this difficulty.
“It’s hard and stressful, but she deals with it well,” said Freyschlag. “I think sports even seem to help out with relieving stress. She’s kind of used to it and she makes the most of her time.”
For some, the addition of a sport seems to help them focus more on their priorities. This is especially true for senior water polo player at the University of California San Diego, Steven Donohoe. He is one of the top players on his team and he has a 3.9 GPA as a biology and chemistry major.
In his first year, Donohoe quit the water polo team because he did not believe he would have enough time to deal with his major and the obligation of practicing five times per week for his sport. But after quitting, he realized it was the wrong choice.
Donohoe began to slack off because he had so much free time. His grades suffered and he was no longer exercising on a daily basis. Donohoe decided to ask for his spot back on the team, and Coach Denny Harper graciously allowed him back.
Since rejoining the team, he has become a successful student and athlete.
“When I came back to polo, it gave me structure,” said Donohoe. “It was a lot better because it was one thing after another. It helped me manage my time better.”
Donohoe is able to do this despite the strict expectations from his coach. When asked if he gives his players any slack due to school work, head coach Denny Harper sternly replied with one word— no.
If all goes well, Donohoe will graduate in 2010 and pursue a career as a doctor.
Donohoe is a rare exception to the tough life of being a student athlete. Many have a tough time with the balancing act of school and sport. It is even tougher when you are a freshman in a completely new atmosphere.
“For me, the toughest part is being a freshman,” said freshman water polo player at UCSD, John Butler. “Adjusting to a new school, new people, new lifestyle and a more rigorous classroom setting, while spending your mornings in the weight room and your afternoons in the pool, has taken its toll.”
However, Butler went on to say that he has found a way to get the job done; despite the stringent expectations of his professors.
“I feel that I'm actually on a tight leash,” said Butler. “Teachers know who I am, and don't let me cut the corners.”
But some coaches and professors show compassion to their student athletes. For coaches like Peter Mattera, head women’s tennis coach at San Diego State University, the students’ lives are much more important than the sport.
“Players come to me for help in other areas,” said Mattera. “Be it problems with school, personal stuff, or just to talk about life. That is one of the neat things about getting to work with young people; being able to give them a hand and watch them grow into successful adults.”
That is exactly what these student athletes are working towards— becoming successful adults. These athletes find their way into the spotlight through their sport, but when it comes down to it, their future lies within their schoolwork. Students like Ian Bausback don’t lose sight of that.
“I make it a point to study in between practice and class, as well as during most of the evenings,” said Bausback, senior water polo player at UCSD.
Bausback went on to explain that he realizes his plans to go to law school should not be compromised by his passion for water polo.
Athletes like Bausback realize their potential for after college. They know that being a student athlete is not an easy task. Despite their knowledge of their future, the cheers remain silent in the library and thunderous on the field.

DONOHOE:http://www.ucsdtritons.com/ViewArticle.dbml?SPSID=31939&SPID=2548&DB_OEM_ID=5800&ATCLID=608779&Q_SEASON=2009