Academics, sports test student-athletes

Acacia O'Connor Sports Editor

For students here at Vassar, full and busy days are expected. But imagine having classes all day long, seminars, meetings and hours of papers and reading, and practice two to three hours per evening. Throw in a couple meals and a few hours of sleep in there somewhere (maybe), and you’ve got the typical day for a student-athlete.

With the demanding level of Vassar academics and the large time commitment necessitated by varsity sports, one would imagine time management might become an issue for student-athletes. From the number of recent successes of fall teams, including women’s volleyball and the men’s and women’s cross-country teams, it is evident that the Brewers are putting in quality time on the playing field. At the same time, a vast number of Vassar athletes are nominated for all-academic teams in the Liberty League and nationally.

How do athletes stay on top of their commitments, and manage their time? Most say it isn’t easy.

“It's hard to establish a good balance between sports, other obligations, and school,” said men’s soccer player Court Steiner ’07. “During the season, sport and school comprise all of one's time, if he or she is working hard to perform well academically.”

While sports and academics are equally arduous, they require different levels of social interaction, concentration and dedication. For most, participation in athletics puts more of a demand on one’s time and energy than anything else. Steiner noted that when he does have free time during the season, his energy level is depleted from the physical strain of practice.

Many athletes also agreed that actively participating in activities outside the daily demands of school and sports is difficult, if not impossible.

“I usually have to wait until the off-season to do all the things I want to,” said Eric Langhans ’08. Langhans, a member of the men’s cross-country team, is also a student fellow and a member of P.E.A.C.E. and the Vassar Haiti Project.

“While there is time to go to meetings occasionally, finding time to really commit your time and effort to things outside of sports and school is very difficult,” said Langhans.
However, the difficulty of finding time for outside activities does not negatively affect the college experience of student-athletes. A majority of Vassar athletes participate in at least one, if not several activities outside of their sport. Those who cannot or do not wish to devote their limited free time to clubs or groups still expressed satisfaction with their situation.

Besides involvement in community activities, student-athletes cited several other things that suffer as a result of the dichotomous demands of school and sports. Among them is leisure time and rest time, which most say is non-existent during the season.

“Leisure activities such as watching TV and reading for pleasure suffer the most,” said Samir Halilovic ’06. Halilovic said his time is devoted between his three main priorities: school, the cross-country team and the 20 to 30 hours per week he spends working as Senior Supervisor of Campus Patrol.

Other activities cited that lose out in any busy schedule, athletic or not, are hours of sleep and socializing. The majority of Vassar athletes have expressed, however, that if it comes to sacrificing either athletics or academics in favor of the other, their studies win out. Many team members said they have chosen their class schedule such that sports events will not get in the way of their attending class.

With all of these frequently conflicting endeavors, one would expect to find an abundance of sport-playing college students stressed out beyond belief. This, however, does not seem to be the case.
“You get used to it—always doing stuff,” said field hockey player Torie Eells ’08. Eells, who is also on the Habitat for Humanity board, plays oboe in the Vassar Wind Ensemble and is a member of the Student Wellness Advisory Committee, said she isn’t any more stressed out than non-athletes she knows.

“Other students are doing other things,” she said, “but the commitment is the same.”

No athlete expressed that they feel they have a worse load than their peers not involved in sports.
“I don't think that anyone has it easy at this school,” said Steiner. “Although athletes may be physically taxed more than people performing other types of extracurriculars, the same levels of mental exhaustion and other types of exhaustion are prevalent across the board. Even those who don't participate in extracurriculars are still challenged, that's what makes this institution a good one.”

Most student-athletes said that playing their sport is a positive addition to their lives at Vassar, acting as a de-stressing agent at times and offering a sense of community and friendship.

“The thing about athletes is that you learn what you can handle,” Eells said. “You’re always pushing yourself—it’s just kind of what you learn to do.”