College-Athlete Balancing School and Playing Sports, Not as Easy as You Think

College student-athletes have a very difficult lifestyle and some students find themselves struggling to find a balance. This struggle can lead to altered play on the field and in the classroom. Many college athletes deal with this problem, but few fully open up about the situation.

Students at a mid-major school (like Marist) inevitably have less pressure to perform on the field and more pressure to perform in the classroom. Balancing sports and academics in college requires effective time management, organization, and prioritization. For Towson men’s college lacrosse player Alex Vieni time management is a major point of emphasis in order to succeed in the classroom and on the field.

“Time management is crucial when balancing sports and academics in college because both activities demand significant time and effort,” said Vieni. “I personally, only two years into college have been able to find a good balance of time, where I can enjoy other activities off the field and the classroom.”

Many college athletes receive great advice from role models and mentors in how to balance their work loads. One of these is creating a specific schedule that includes all your classes, practice sessions, games, study time, and other commitments. Use tools like planners, calendars, or scheduling apps to keep track of everything. For former lacrosse player Conor Andrews, balancing lacrosse, school and having a social life was a challenge at first but he found a groove relatively quickly.

“Personally, my first year in college was tough because I was new to this whole balancing sports and school. In high school it was easier to balance because the classes were easier and I wasn’t practicing everyday,” said Andrews. “Now I look back on my playing days and say I did a pretty good job of balancing sports and school. It was important that I found time to unwind and hangout with my friends after my day was over because I felt human when I did so.”

For many student athletes in higher division schools the pressure of performing well on the field is higher than the classroom pressure. In a high-profile athletic school, the pressures are to bring in the money, school is really secondary.

“I have some friends in higher-profile schools that are so pressured to perform highly on the field that school was secondary for him. I’m sure that is great in all, but I wanted to find a school that made me really have that healthy balance that we just spoke about,” said Vieni.

Balancing school and sports is all about finding that balance that works for you. According to both athletes, once they were in that groove, they were set. Trying to find a lifestyle that works for you is hard but both of these athletes made it work.

Ultimately, finding the right balance between sports and academics is a personal journey, and what works for one student may not work for another. Experimenting with different strategies until you find a routine is ideal.