As the winter athletics season comes to a close and spring sports kick off, Shorecrest’s tri-sport athletes are under more pressure than ever, both academically and athletically. Constant homework paired with sports practice and games place immense physical and mental stress on student athletes. 

     Sophomore Reece Campbell, a soccer, cross-country and track athlete, said, “It’s difficult to manage everything all at once.” Sophomore Gia Bessolo, who plays volleyball, basketball, and runs track, agreed, saying, “It definitely takes a long thought process to figure out how to manage your time between school work, assignments, and tests, and practices, and games.” 

    US Science Department Chair Brian Potter-Racine, who teaches many tri-sport athletes, supported the students’ feelings, saying, “There is a finite amount of time, and you have to get everything done, and it seems like doing more would make that harder.” 

     Tri-sport athletes get home late from sporting events and practices consistently throughout the school year, posing an often inevitable challenge of staying up late to get work done. Many athletes have to sacrifice time with friends and family to maintain good grades and excel at their sports. Campbell said, “I don’t get to spend as much time growing some relationships as I would like.” 

     Although being a three-sport student athlete may seem daunting, many make the best of this unique opportunity. Bessolo emphasized that the stress that comes with playing three sports has helped develop her time management skills. She sees learning to maximize her time in her early years of high school to be advantageous going into college and beyond, proving that tri-sport athletes have a chance to stay ahead of the game off of the sporting grounds, too.

     Potter-Racine agrees, saying, “The other way of seeing it is when you have more to do, you become more efficient. Athletes do tend to be better organized with their time.”          

     Student athletes also improve their social skills by developing friendships with their teammates. Campbell said, on top of sports, “My social life is fairly busy, and I try to make new friends through my sports.” Bessolo argued that, although playing three sports is demanding and stressful, it is a good way to distract herself from the worries of school and her social life.