With winter sports beginning for many Robinson athletes, students now have to balance their athletic, academic, and personal responsibilities. Some Robinson athletes now have multiple practices per day, leaving minimal free time outside of sports and homework. How are they managing this additional workload? 

Sophomore Katie Vu found her schedule demanding, but manageable. Some days, Vu’s matches would require her to leave school early, leaving only a few hours at night for her to complete her homework and catch up on missed lessons. “It was comfortable for me, but there were times where it was difficult because I would be leaving class early and missing instruction at the end of the day. It does pile up, but I think I balanced it pretty well”, said Vu. 

Sophomore JT Schmid, a swimmer, faces two practices on a regular day. With his day beginning at 4:30 a.m., Schmid is in the pool training by 5:00. After school, he has another practice before being able to return home and begin on his homework. “I spend a lot of time in the pool, but I try to make time for homework,” Schmid said.

It’s no secret that student-athletes have to manage their time wisely in order to fulfill their different goals. Nate Petro, a sophomore on the JV basketball team, said that he has lots of folders to monitor all of his assignments. “Organization is very important”, said Petro. As students progress through high school, the time needed to be spent on athletics and academics increases. These students are ready for the challenge.