The life of a student athlete can be filled with many priorities and a very demanding schedule. Finding a balance between sports, studying, and a social life can be challenging, but finding this harmony can be the key to a successful semester.
Although student athletes seemingly spend countless hours practicing and getting ready for games, they can spend no more than 20 hours a week preparing for their sport, and no more than four hours a day.
This rule is enforced by the coaching staff, however members of the athletic department also monitor the practices frequently to insure the time limits are not exceeded.
Student athletes must also set time aside to attend study hall. These student athletes must make a commitment to attend study hall anywhere from 6 to 10 hours a week. The softball team has study hall each night at 7:00.
Sophomore baseball player Ross Plummer feels that there are great benifits that come from study hall. "Study Hall provides great opportunity for us athletes to study amongst each other and receive help when it's needed."
Plummer also added that study hall is not as much of an inconvience as most would assume. "it's basically time that you would be spending studying or fraterinizing anyway."
Programs like Athletes In Motion, AIM, are designed to help freshmen and first year transfer students with their many priorities. Along with addressing career services and finances, the program also focuses on time management. These meetings which occur twice a month for one hour give new student athletes strategies to effectively use their time to meet all their needs.
“Every now and then I can not go out to campus events or out with my friends, but I am happy to be a student athlete. You have to make sacrifices for the team. Many people do not get the opportunity to play their sport in college, but sports are just as much apart of the college experience as anything else.” said junior basketball player C.J. Wilkerson.
Associate Athletics Director for Internal Operations/Compliance and Senior Woman Administrator Etienne Thomas has been employed by N.C. Central for a year and a half.
She understands the role of time management for any student interested in playing a sport in college. She emphasizes that the students take advantage of all the programs designed to help student athletes.
“I make sure the student athletes are aware of the services we provide to help them. I also explain the pitfalls they may encounter. For instance, some student athletes want to hold jobs. I discourage any student athlete from doing so."
Being a student athlete is arguably one of the most rewarding experiences that college has to offer. NCCU has designed programs and is extremely involved in the lives of student athletes to facilitate their education and transition into life after school or in professional sports.
Although traditional students may have more time to use as they please, student athletes get the best and worst of both worlds. Sophomore softball player Jessica Refojo admits she does envy non student athletes somewhat because they have more time to spend on classes.
“If I was not a student athlete, I would focus a lot more time on school work. I would not be as stressed out. I see people walking around and they look care free.”
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