The struggle with student athletes

Staying up all night, switching in between tabs, and shuffling through flashcards. You 

keep telling yourself that you NEED to pass the English test tomorrow. Closing your eyes, trying to memorize the words on the paper without thinking; a constant battle with your own mind. You begin to feel more than prepared for your test. The next day, as soon as you pick up your pencil in class, it feels as if you can not recall any of the information you studied last night. You look around the classroom, your palms sweating, hoping you can remember something. However, all you can think about is that if you do not pass this test, you can not play in the next game. 

Doing sports in High school, you’re constantly reminded that you are a STUDENT 

Athlete. You are expected to have your grades in line before competing in any athletic events. However, being a student athlete is much more than just after school practice and away games. The real struggle is finding a balance between sports and school. If you don’t perform well in school, you will not be able to succeed as an athlete. 

Academic probation is a warning for athletes to get back on track. As a student 

athlete, your education still matters most. For some, winning a game may be easier than taking a test. 

The better your grades are the more scholarships you are offered. With this comes many more opportunities. 

UACHS Boys Basketball Head Coach, Marques Robinson believes that academic probation can help the boys get back on track. 

“I do believe that probation has actually helped,” said Robinson. “A lot of students or a lot of athletes are doing much better in our classes because they’re taking classes more seriously.”

The UACHS boys basketball team are all on academic probation. With this the team must emphasize their work and it is now mandatory for all the boys to finish any missing assignments or homework and get their grades up to par. 

UACHS Junior, Jaicyn Holmes believes that academic probation will motivate the athletes to perform better.

 “I do feel like it helps the team because our grades need to be better for us to play on the team and it gives us an opportunity to work together and get the work done,” said Holmes.

Working as a team, on and off the court has helped all of them get back on track. Although it may be a tough pill to swallow for the team, academic probation is for the best in the end. It teaches them responsibility and accountability, something that is valuable to their growth.