Being a student is not easy. Being an athlete is not easy. Being a student-athlete is even tougher. Lake Forest College allows student-athletes to succeed both on and off the court, the rink, the field, and the pool.
Athletes spend at least two hours a day five days a week on practice alone, not including weekends away from school to play. Most students have to spend their weekend away focusing on their sport, but also their academics. The students have to remember that the student part comes before athletics for a reason. In order to be able to participate in their sport, one must achieve in the classroom.
There is 24 hours in a day, and approximately 6-8 hours is spent sleeping. That leaves 16-18 hours for class and activities. Athletes practice between 2-4 hours per day depending on the sport. The rest of the time students may be in class, in the library, in the dining hall, and some student athletes add work study to their already hectic schedule.
Swimmer Simona Kurta ’18 says, “I wake up at 5:30AM and it is pretty tough especially when you see your roommate still in bed and you have to get dressed in the dark and be ready to train.”
“Being a student- athlete is very exhausting and a lot of work, but that is what keeps me going through the day. You have to learn how to balance your schedule well and plan when you are going to eat, train, study, and sleep,” Kurta ’18 says.
Some teams on campus even require a study hall session with their teams, which makes their student-athletes attend a day or two throughout the week in a room with their teammates focusing on their schoolwork. Study hall allows busy student athletes to have a set few hours a week to really get their work done with no distractions.
Two-sport athlete, Michelle Ricolcol ’16 says, “It’s pretty hard to balance school and two sports, especially since golf is technically a fall and spring sport, and basketball is right in the middle. I go from season to season”. Transitioning well into being a student-athlete, Ricolcol ‘16 “[prefers] a heavy schedule because it helps [her] stay busy and it gives [her] a structure to [her] day.”
Lake Forest College sports and academics prepare students for life’s obstacles, setting them up for success post graduation.Although the student athlete life is not easy to maintain, those who are able to do so will be able to take on life in the working world, thanks to the incredible time management skills needed to balance school and sports. Whether our teams are competing in the sport, or the athletic department’s highest GPA, the student-athletes at the College will continue to build their Tradition of Excellence.
