Many athletes not only want to succeed on the field or court, but also in the classroom. The Central Digest took an inside look on two seniors who have managed to play sports and maintain above average grades.

Emma Beach has played volleyball and softball all four years of high school while keeping a GPA of 4.0.

“I am able to balance it because I’ve had years of practice managing both,” noted Beach.

She shared that she devotes two to three hours after school to sports and about an hour to homework and studying.

“I value school way more than sports. I’ve always said I would go to college for academics rather than athletics,” explained Beach.

Even though it can be difficult to tackle sports and school at the same time, Beach believes that it is definitely worth it.

“I get a sense of community and family. My teammates are my best friends,” shared Beach.

Joseph Clark is another senior who has played golf and baseball for three years.

“As a student athlete, balancing school and sports is hard, but you have to get your priorities straight,” explained Clark.

He said that he always gets his schoolwork done before he starts practicing any sport.

“There are very few scholarships given for the sports I play, so I focus more on school because it’s more important to have a good education,” said Clark.

He shared that he has grown up playing sports and will continue to play them as long as he can.

“Sports are kind of my escape from everything school-related. When I get on the baseball field, I forget about everything that happened that day, and it’s just easier to get my mind off things. Also, the time spent with my teammates is worth it because during school, there’s not enough time to have conversations,” expressed Clark.

Both of these seniors agree that playing a sport and keeping their grades up can be tough, but it is worth it in the end.