Hannah Lewis, Campus Carrier Asst. Features Editor

Putting the ‘student’ before the ‘athlete’

Time management is highly important to full-time students in general, but it is essential for student-athletes who balance practice, traveling, games and studying for classes.

For instance, baseball player junior Kris Patel will have conference games in the spring on the weekends, along with games every Tuesday alternatively home and away. Knowing his schedule will be busy, he plans time slots for studying and homework.

It is also vital for the athletes to communicate with their professors.

“We talk to the teachers ahead of time and figure something out. If we can’t make up the test, sometimes they’ll add that weight to our final, to make our final worth a little bit more,” Patel said.

Assistant baseball coach Shane West said he encourages his players to perform well in class and on the field.

“We encourage all our players to be proactive and inform their professors about any classes that they are scheduled to miss due to travel prior to the start of the season,” West said.

West also said players can take quizzes and tests before leaving.

Patel does not have to worry about balancing work, school and baseball because he only works for athletic grounds crew in the fall because the season starts in spring. When he practices during the fall, however, he works once a week.

The first baseball game of the season will be on Feb. 6 against Emory and Henry College at Bowdoin Field.

 

Women’s  basketball team puts academics first

Sophomore Alex Kiernan plays basketball, double majors in marketing and management and works for recreation.

Kiernan said her teachers work with her when it comes to  missing classwork and traveling elsewhere.

“The teachers are very easy to work with,” Kiernan said. “We give them the schedule ahead of time so they know when we’re traveling.”

Kiernan said her coaches coordinate with professors, and that she and her teammates make time to get homework done, whether on the bus or in hotel rooms.

“Our coach definitely makes sure we have time for downtime, whether that’s sleeping or studying or whatever we need to do,” Kiernan said. “She gives us the schedule ahead of time so that we know when we need to study.”

Kiernan said her coaches accommodate her needs when there is a test the following day.

“There hasn’t been a time where I’ve had to choose between [studying and working out],” Kiernan said. “If I have a test the next day we usually let our coach know so she can cut practice or do what she needs to do.”

She also explained that they all have accountability partners who help remind each other when they have assignments due or need to be studying for tests.

Teammates taking the same classes are also very involved in helping each other.

“Chemistry was really hard for me last year, but there were a few other teammates who had the same class, so we studied together,” Kiernan said. “And a teammate had already taken that class a different semester, so she helped us study on the bus and in the hotel room. I actually study with my team a lot.”

Coach Stephanie Dunn and assistant coach Katie Crump make sure their players stay on top of their grades and expect the team to have a good overall GPA. Although the minimum GPA to play is a 2.0, Dunn and Crump require their student-athletes who have anything less than a 3.0 to have study hall eight hours a week.

Despite requiring extra effort to maintain good grades, Kiernan said, “It is hard, but it is definitely worth it. I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I love it.”

The first game for women’s basketball will be on Friday at Covenant College.

Sophomore Alex Kiernan competes for the Vikings.