Students all across Scituate High School struggle with being great in the classroom and on the field. This begs the question: Are grades better for student-athletes while in-season? Countless students know the challenges of being a student-athlete, but despite the troubles, there are benefits. SHS junior Quinn DeCourcey sees both sides: “It definitely makes it hard to get certain work done, but it also organizes my day.” While Quinn never has a season without a sport, he tends to have less configuration in his schedule during the winter. He stated, “When I have less structure, I do worse.”
Many student-athletes struggle when they have less structure, while others have greater success academically. Having a more structured schedule with sports makes some athletes manage their time better and improves their grades. But others feel it becomes a challenge to improve their school work with all the time they put into sports. A survey sent out to SHS students showed that around 38% of students’ grades slightly improved during their sports season(s). It also showed that over 30% of students’ grades get worse while playing sports. The key factor between students with improved grades and students whose grades did not improve was simple: time management.
A lack of time management can create a stressful environment for all students. With the addition of a rigorous sports schedule, the academic tasks may seem even more arduous. Learning better time management has been a recurring theme for successful student-athletes. Makenna Floyd, a senior cheerleading team captain, shared her time management philosophy: “I think it helps you learn balance.” She then asked, “If you can’t manage your time outside of your sport, how can you manage a stressful athletic schedule?”
There are numerous ways to get better at managing your time. Learning from former and current student-athletes who performed well academically in high school is one of the best ways to learn strategies for improving your grades during sports. Learning the wisdom from graduates and upperclassmen can be the difference between a stressful life and a prosperous one at SHS. Based on conversations with upperclassmen, working hard is the most crucial way to find success during your sports season(s). Another common answer was to avoid procrastination at all costs. DeCourcey recommends scheduling reminders on your phone and using an agenda to help keep you organized.
Every student-athlete has different strategies to improve in the classroom while playing their respective sport(s). A strategy that works well for someone else might not work as well for you. But the very best way to become a successful student-athlete at SHS is to work hard and find strategies that give you the highest chances of success.