From the outside, playing a sport can be seen as just an after-school activity. However, for athletes at the high-school level, playing a sport requires more sacrifices than most people realize. From time and money to sleep and social life, student-athletes give up more than initially meets the eye.
One of the biggest sacrifices is time. Players spend countless hours a week in practice, working with private trainers, completing physical therapy and playing games.
“I’ve had to give up a lot of time with my family because of soccer,” junior Manny Hernandez said.
Money is also another challenge for families. Equipment, team fees, travel costs and meals after practices and games are all factors to consider.
“Food has definitely been a big expense for me after practice and games,” sophomore football player Josey Johnston said.
Costs can be very expensive and stressful for parents. On the other side, some student-athletes could argue that pricey professional training and physical therapy could carry athletes to the next level of their sport.
“Personal training definitely helps me a lot on the field and in the weight room,” junior football and baseball player Skylar Burger said.
Student-athletes also sacrifice their social lives. While other students are hanging out with their friends, athletes often have games, practices or recovery days.
“I miss a lot of family and friend events because of soccer,” Hernandez said. “But I do it because of the love of the sport.”
Most commonly, student-athletes face many challenges with mental and physical health. Around 40 to 90% of student-athletes experience injuries at some point in time, according to NCAA.com.
Student-athletes go through a lot of mental and physical endeavors, but many feel that at the end of the day, it is all worth it. Even if they do not get to play at the next level, most people do it for the love of the game.
