Caitlin Williamson – Special to the Southern News
The beginning of any school year is hectic, tiring, and filled with insane schedules that never seem to stop. On top of schoolwork, possibly holding a part time job or internship, and trying to keep somewhat of a social life, it seems nearly impossible to fit anything else into a college student’s life. Now imagine throwing a full time sport into the mix. A collegiate athlete’s everyday life consists of not only early morning classes, attending every single class and upholding a specific grade point average, they also have to practice one or two times a day as well as compete weekly in seasonal games.
The commitment doesn’t end there for these busy owls: they also must attend pre-season practices and camps for their sport, as well as team bonding sessions, meetings, and study hours. How does one find any way to complete such an intense schedule? Do the coaches support and help their athletes? What comes first; the team or the education?
It is baffling when explained what a “day in the life” of an athlete really consists of, with each sport demanding different things for their athletes. Women’s volleyball coach Lisa Barabara has a clear picture of what she expects as a coach for a Division II team. To get a fuller understanding of how many hours these players must commit to their sport she said, “Throughout the summer, the girls are more on their own rather than the coaches mandating them with daily practices.” Some may do summer leagues or personal training for the upcoming season, however pre-season practices are when the team begins to practice as a whole for their hopeful season.
The real intensity begins with the in season practices, allotting the players one day off of practices. Not only are there daily practices and weekly games, the players must also attend academic study halls their first year on the team for a total of five hours a week. If the players’ grade point averages are ever below the required 2.8, or individual requirements of the coaches, the players would have to go back to their mandated study halls.
The coaches all understand that these players’ first responsibility is school and keeping a solid grade point average in order to continue to play for them. When asked if the students are given grace weeks for finals and midterms she answered, “NCAA rules the week off prior to finals, and during finals must be granted to the players. Certain coaches may give an extra week prior to finals to their players, it really varies with the different sports teams.”
An important demand for these players is not only in the classroom but on the field or court. They must make time for their team bonding experiences that each different sport team holds in order to have good chemistry within the team. Southern football’s offensive lineman Dominick Diglio handles being both a full time athlete and student.
When asked if the schedule was too demanding, and how is it really possible to be able to juggle his responsibilities he says, “It gets stressful at times, but when you learn to balance school work and your sport, its a ritual that’s easy to follow.” He also agreed that study halls really help to focus during the school year, and help get you used to the busy schedule of an athlete.
The schedules are demanding, but that is what sets these students apart from the rest: being Mighty Owls!
