For the second time in a row, the BCTV crew got to work with ESPN on a national broadcast on Saturday, Sept. 22, as the Butler Grizzlies took on the Snow College Badgers.
Balancing academic and sports means trying to do well in school while also giving your best in your sport. For student athletes, it’s not just about going to class or showing up for practice. It’s about managing time, staying focused and making sure neither schoolwork nor training suffers.
The alarm rings at 5 a.m, while most students are still sleeping, Joel Saxton is already thinking about football practice. Across campus, track athletes S'fiso Makolomakwa and Itumeleng Ngxabazi are getting ready for their morning training and soccer player Tyesha Nelson is preparing for her 7 a.m. practice before school. For student athletes school and sports don’t just happen at the same time they take up every minute of the day. Balancing classes, homeworks, training and competitions is not easy, but Saxton, Makolomakwa, Ngxabazi and Nelson have all found ways to manage it.
Saxton, a football player in his off season, still trains and keeps up with classes. He starts his day with morning meetings at 5 a.m, breakfast at 7:15 a.m and then online classes in computer concepts. After school, he trains and does weight sessions to stay in shape. Even though he is not in season, he says the off season is the hardest.
“Off season is the hardest because, on top of classes, you have to compete for your spot on the team, it’s a fight every day just to keep myself here,” Saxton said.
Track athlete Makolomakwa’s day is even busier during the active season. The sophomore trains at 6 a.m., goes to class at 8 a.m and works at 11 a.m, trains again at 1:30 p.m, lifts weights at 3:30 p.m. and works until 9 p.m. To make sure he doesn’t fall behind in school, he finishes his assignment ahead of time, especially before competition. Makolomakwa also uses the school tutoring lab when he needs extra help.
Joel Saxton (left) manages to balance academics with classes. Photo provided by Joel Saxton
S'fiso Makolomakwa (left) is a distance runner for the Grizzlies. Itumeleng Ngxabazi (right) comes to the Grizzlies from Olievenhoutbosh, South Africa. Photos by Grizzly Athletics
“If I know I have a competition on Friday and I have anything due during the week, I will complete my assignments Monday through Wednesday so I’m not stressed during the week,” Makolomakwa said. “The tutoring lab really helps me understand difficult concepts while I’m away from class and also helps me stay on top of my classes.”
Ngxabazi, another track athlete, focuses a lot on managing stress while keeping up with school and training.
“I handle stress by staying organized and making a schedule, finding a way to balance my academics, social and sport life,” Ngxabazi, a sophomore, said.
Ngxabazi explains that the main stress comes from trying to keep up with classes, grades and competition all at once. During busy times like exams or big competitions, he breaks work into smaller tasks so he doesn’t get overwhelmed.
Soccer player Nelson, who is in season now, also has to wake up early for practice before school. After training she goes straight to class then comes home to rest, eat and finish schoolwork before going to bed early. This sophomore stays organized and keeping a routine really helps.
Tyesha Nelson, from Kingston, Jamaica, has appeared in nine games for the Grizzlies. Photo by Grizzly Athletics
“Waking up early every day for practice can be really exhausting,” Nelson said. “Balancing schoolwork with that schedule can get stressful, but I try to stay on top of things. Getting enough sleep, staying organized and keeping a consistent routine really helps me stay focused during busy weeks.”
Even though it’s tough, sports help them do better in school too. The discipline and focus they learn on the field or track carry over into their schoolwork. Their advice for others students trying to balance both is simple as follow:
“Don’t give up. Keep grinding even when you don’t want to. Stick with it and you can reach the top,” Saxton said.
“The hardest part is not falling behind on assignment, but planning ahead really helps,” Makolomakwa said.
“Staying organized and managing your time well is the key,” Ngxabazi said.
“Balancing school and soccer in season is tough, but keeping a routine and getting sleep really helps,” Nelson said.
Balancing academics and sports is not easy, but these student athletes show that it’s possible with focus, planning and support. It takes discipline and long hours, but doing well in both school and sports is worth all the effort.
