When the 2024 Paris Olympics were ongoing, many sat glued to the television waiting for the greatest athletes to spill their secrets on how to balance high athletic performance with their personal life, South students included. The reality is, many South athletes have to juggle their passion for athletics and maintain a level of excellence, all while staying on top of their academics throughout the school year, Phil Ralston, English Teacher and Boys’ Varsity Basketball Coach, said. However, while success in athletics is important, South athletes are always students first, he added.

Students must be passing five classes in order to participate in a sport, according to the Illinois High School Association (IHSA). Furthermore, many athletes are passionate and ambitious, driving them to be involved and busy not only in their preferred sports, but it other hobbies and activities, South Social Worker Andrea Ball-Ryan explained.

“The hardest thing [to see] is that some people love what they do, but don’t recognize [they] can’t do everything,” Ball-Ryan said.

Junior Joey Torres, varsity football player, takes guitar lessons in his free time, while junior Anna Wojcik, a junior varsity gymnast, runs a small Etsy business and volunteers.

“After school, I go to work at [a gym],” Wojcik said. “ On Tuesdays, right after work, I have gymnastics [practice] until 9 p.m.”

While many are passionate about their sports, student-athletes experience extreme levels of stress, Brittany Ethington, Physical Education Teacher and Assistant Girls’ Varsity Swim Coach, said. This cycle deteriorates self-esteem and endangers their chances of success in their sport, Ethington said. Torres suggests that a competitive mindset is imperative to push athletes, while Wojcik suggests a supportive attitude.

“Overcoming the ‘voice in between your ears’ is something we talk about when it comes to swimming fast and doing our best each day,” Ethington said. “[Being a student-athlete] is a lot to manage for anyone. Along with being time consuming, it also can be mentally and physically challenging in a variety of ways.”

Positive mental attitude and working towards growth is imperative to student-athlete success, Ball-Ryan said. Sometimes simply wanting to show up at practice to cheer on your teammates and presenting your best is the most important, Wojcik said.

Ralston also tells his athletes to compartmentalize their thoughts and emotions when they are on the court.

“[If something happened] that’s made their day not go as great as it could, [I] want [players] to shut that down, only focus on what we’re doing for that hour and a half, and not worry about anything else,” Ralston said.

The skill of compartmentalization is vital to both students and athletes, allowing them to perform well in the moment on the court, on the field, or in the classroom even if they are overwhelmed by other things going on in their lives, Ralston said. It is essential to find a technique that helps student-athletes relax and focus their mind in times of heavy stress, Ball-Ryan added.

“The key is, [your sport] is not something that you don’t have to do, [it is what] you enjoy doing, and turn your head off and get your body centered,” Ball-Ryan said.

Additionally, Ball-Ryan emphasized that talking with family and friends and allocating time for leisure each day is vital in maintaining a healthy equilibrium between academics, athletics, and home life. If a student-athlete ever needs support, they can reach out to their coach, social worker, psychologist, trainer, or any other responsible adult, Ball-Ryan said.

While managing many extracurriculars may be especially difficult for new student-athletes, Torres believes it gets easier with time. It all comes down to having time management skills and the ability to balance your activities, Ralston said.

“I would say there [is] a learning curve,” Ralston said. “As freshmen, sometimes [athletes] don’t know how to manage [their] time, and the expectations [expand in] high school athletics. It [forces them] to find time to study right, and once [they find] a rigid schedule [they can] stay with, [stress improves].”