The Challenges and Rewards of Being a Student Athlete
At Leonia High School, student athletes work hard to balance tough practices, lots of homework, and the stress that comes with both. While they deal with feeling tired and sometimes doubting themselves, they also learn how to manage their time, grow as people, and become better teammates, which helps them now and in the future.
Junior Angelica Do is on the Varsity Girls Soccer team, and knows how tough it is to juggle school and sports. Practices and games can go on for hours, leaving barely enough time to finish homework or get some sleep. “Being an athlete in high school can get difficult at times because it drains a lot of physical and mental energy,” Angelica explains, “Sometimes practices or games don’t end until later, so it leaves barely enough time to either do homework or sleep.”
When she first started, it was hard to keep up, but over time, she’s adjusted. Even though it’s tiring, Angelica loves staying active, socializing, and pushing herself to improve. “The biggest challenge of being a student athlete is the responsibility that comes with it,” she says, specifying the struggle of “Having to manage my homework either during school or after practice.” But she’s learned a lot from it, like time management and how to stay organized.
Dominique Cameron, a 10th grader who’s recently broken school records on the Cross Country team, agrees that it is a huge challenge. “When you’re an athlete in high school, it’s harder to make time for schoolwork,” she says, “I always struggle with doing my schoolwork when I have a game, and I rush the work and don’t end up getting the grade I wanted.” She also points out that sports can be tough mentally and physically. Making mistakes or getting injured can bring down her confidence, and being benched isn’t easy. But for Dominique, the benefits of playing sports are worth it, “Your body becomes healthier, fitter, and you get a chance to discover your athletic abilities.” Sports have pushed her to become more determined, more focused, and to keep working hard. “All of these negative aspects of a sport can be handled and will only give you valuable lessons in life,” she says.
Physical education teacher AJ Scoppa sees sports as a way for students to grow and stay healthy, as long as they stay organized. “If you manage your time correctly, there shouldn’t be any type of impact,” he says. He believes sports help kids build friendships, feel part of a team, and stay in shape. “Sports are great for your physical and mental health because they make you part of a team and keep you active,” and goes on to point out that the benefits of participating in sports are “Proven by science; movement is medicine for your body.”
While some sports, like football or wrestling, have a higher risk of injuries, Mr. Scoppa thinks the positives, like stress relief, teamwork, and discipline, are much more important. He remembers his biggest challenge was dealing with the pressure to succeed and fear of failure, but once he learned to handle that, he found it helped him in other areas of life too.
The experiences of Angelica, Dominique, and Mr. Scoppa show that being a student athlete isn’t just about playing a sport, it’s about learning how to balance everything, build confidence, and push through tough times. Sure, it can be exhausting to fit in both homework and practice, but the rewards are there: staying active, making friends, and gaining skills that help in the long run. Whether it’s Angelica managing her time, Dominique growing stronger from setbacks, or Scoppa’s focus on teamwork and health, each of them has found a way to succeed on and off the field. Even though being a student athlete has its challenges, they all agree that it’s definitely worth it.
Photo Credit: Manaka Kobayashi ’26
