By Chiara Doyle, Kalani High School

In Hawai‘i, tens of thousands of high school students dedicate themselves to year-round sports, embracing academic and athletic excellence. 

A student-athlete can be defined as someone who is enrolled in an education institution while also participating in an organized, competitive sport sponsored by that institution. While this is true, here is my take on what a student-athlete really is… someone who is dedicated, hardworking, and committed to all responsibilities given by school first, then sports. A student-athlete is someone who understands the importance of an education while also being able to maintain the balance of some competitive physical activity.

For me as a soccer player, I have soccer practice three times a week out at the Waipio Soccer Complex. The almost hour drive from Kalani High School to Waipio can be harsh at times. From the time that school is over to the time I get home at night after practice, just about five whole hours have passed me by. I get home at 7 p.m., try to be in bed by 10 p.m. and wake up the next day at 6:30 a.m. and repeat my day again.

Sometimes school work can be a bit of a struggle for me, but it is all about priorities. For me, school is a priority. I work extremely hard to earn the best grades I can. So far in my high school career, I have never dropped my grades lower than an A. In my sophomore year, I challenged myself by taking AP U.S. History. Boy, was that a struggle, but the outcome was worth it! Not only did it boost my grade point average, but I came out of my sophomore year with a huge achievement on my back. Before taking this class, I was told that I was going to hate it, that I wouldn’t survive the course by the end of the year. Maybe I did hate it at times, but those times of struggle forced me to stay resilient even when a task feels impossible. Not only did I prove them wrong, but I proved to myself that I am capable of doing anything I put my mind to. This mindset helped me on the field too.

Soccer is a year-round sport. When I’m not playing high school soccer, I’m playing club soccer. There are no breaks! Yes, maybe we have a few holidays off or a week off after summer travel, but there is always something to improve; therefore there is always work to be put in. Managing sports around school can be tough. Especially when the school year is coming to the end with finals and projects, it can be hard to excel in both aspects. For those who struggle with this, I’ve come up with a few ways that I personally deal with it and how I am able to keep a healthy balance:

⏰ Better time management: Take advantage of the free time that teachers give students in class to get work done. It may seem like more fun to go and talk to your friends or play games on your phone, but getting work done in class is so much better than having to do it at home. Especially on those nights when practice goes long and you get home at a late hour, the last thing you may want to do is homework. This may not mean that you get all of your work done in school, but maybe you’ve gotten started on it and there is less to do later. The benefit of doing work at school is that you have all of your peers and teachers right there to help you if needed! It is important to know that being a student-athlete comes with sacrifice. Sometimes, you’re going to have to stay up late to do work or cut into free time.

😴 Take breaks: Getting good sleep and downtime are just as important as everything else. Without rest, we can’t accomplish our other goals. Taking care of your body and mind is essential to being successful.

💧 Stay hydrated: I carry a reusable water bottle with me everywhere I go. I set a daily reminder on my phone at 2 p.m. to remember to drink water, because sometimes in the hustle and bustle of the school day, it can be easy to neglect your biological needs. When I’m hydrated, I can think clearer and focus more.

The most important thing to take away from this is to not give up on school! So many athletes who aspire to play at the collegiate level rely heavily on their athletic abilities to get scholarships. Academics are just as important as athletics. It can offer way more scholarships and opportunities for students who have worked hard on their grades. Just think about how much more support you could get if you had both athletic and academic scholarships! 

Being a student-athlete is a privilege. The opportunity to have an education and compete in competitive sports is something that no one should take for granted. Yes, it may come with struggles and adversities, but that’s really what i’s all about. Like Rocky said, “It ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward!”