Walk a tightrope

The cheers may fill the court, but disappointment will fill the classroom. Student athletes train
their bodies for hours every day, only to come home late at night with an exhausting pile of schoolwork
waiting for them. This is how student athletes battle ‘academics or sports.’

Studies show that some students should prioritize academics over sports, while others argue
that sports make school enjoyable. However, concerns remain that sports can distract from important
classes and add stress. Student athletes often juggle sports, tough classes, social lives, and family time.
Academics between sports? Opinions matter, but better ones exist in both fields.

What is so important about carrying knowledge over sports? Academics develop critical
thinking, communication, and problem-solving skills vital to any job. It serves as a back-up plan that can
open doors to careers, and not all athletes make it to the professional level. The cheers may fill the
court, but disappointment will fill the classroom.

Moreover, student athletes can’t avoid injuries. For no pain is no gain, leaving them without a
source of income when they cannot play again. Academics provide a stable foundation if an athletic
career does not work out. So, should academics be prioritized?

Nevertheless, prioritizing sports is just the same as prioritizing academics. Student athletes learn
discipline, build character, and create opportunities. It contributes physical and mental health,
challenging the intelligence of athletes against their opponents. Other than that, there are athletic
scholarships provided based on their skills not just academics itself.

Student athletes are ensuring that both academics and sports balanced their everyday lives,
surely one field is hard to manage. They can’t just quit on sports especially when that’s what they love
most, and yet, they also shouldn’t stop submitting school works so that they can keep playing.

Being a student athlete sure is frustrating, no matter on what fields. They carefully walk in a
tightrope balancing both academics and sports, making sure they’ll make it through without falling.

Two different paths, but a student athlete chose to walk straight between them.