By now it is a well-known fact that the average high schooler in our modern time has the same level of anxiety as the average individual admitted into an asylum in the 1950s. A main reason high schoolers today have such high stress levels leads back to not only academics, but also athletics. With so much pressure, how do student-athletes manage?

I asked freshman Maral Behnam, who plays soccer, volleyball, and futsal (a sport similar to soccer with five players on each team, a smaller ball, and played indoors, which Behnam plays nationals for). She answered, “I try to manage my time equally.” She goes by the logic that if she spends two hours training for her athletics, then academics also get two hours. However, she would rather prioritize academics when pressed for time. “It’s student-athlete,” Behnam says, “not athlete-student.”

Senior Lucas Carrillo, #10 in the boy’s water polo team, agrees with this statement. “Getting assignments done is more important than going to practice, so when I haven’t been getting my work done, I’ll usually take time off [of sports],” he reasons. At the same time, he also acknowledges his role in his water polo team, an exception to schoolwork being his sports’ games.

So much work often leads to a feeling of pressure and anxiety. I asked Behnam what she does when she feels this way. “Well, when I get a lot of stress from academics, what I like to do [is] go outside,” Behnam also talks about how she listens to music to calm down.

Freshman Rhea Naggi, formerly in cross-country and now trying out for soccer says, “I barely think about my mental health.” Like most student-athletes, she has practice from four to six, five days a week. After that she crams homework. “I made the sacrifice of my free time,” Naggi added. Carrillo can relate to this, but he finds it rewarding. “Sports is what relaxes me. Enjoying what I’m doing makes being tired at home and not having much time to finish work worth it.”

With the busy schedules student-athletes have, most find it quite difficult to spare time. That does not make them feel any less like a normal teenager, though. “I do find time for my personal and social life outside of school and sports,” Naggi reminds. “I chill, go out, play games or spend time with my family.” Carrillo finds time for his hobbies of piano and guitar, Behnam enjoying art.

Everyone, not just student-athletes, should find time to reflect on their mental health. “I’ll ask myself if I’m happy with where I’m at and what I’m doing,” Carrillo explains. He does this every now and then to assess where he’s at in his life, and make changes where needs be. “I feel like mental health is very important,” Behnam expresses. “It’s important to do [check on your mental well-being] at least once a day.”

When I asked if teachers and athletic coaches help support students through academics and sports, all three student-athletes agreed that the staff on our campus is quite understanding about what they are going through. “I feel like that they one hundred percent agree with me,” Behnam finishes. “I’m so thankful they [staff] do understand me on that, and they all support me.”