The Life of an EGHS Athlete

           Sports are beneficial and can lead to a well balanced healthy lifestyle because they teach teamwork, dedication, responsibility, and many other qualities you will rely on later in life. During the school year, there are multiple sports that are available to play: football, basketball, tennis, volleyball, softball, swim, and a variety of others. While all these sports can be helpful to our everyday lifestyle, they can also be stressful.
           Being a athlete is most likely a 5th priority after first, being a person. Being an athlete is not always easy. For ANY sport, and sometimes our coaches forget that before we were an athlete, we were a student! Before a student we were something else! Therefore, we have more than just our athletic duties to be responsible for. With strenuous workouts and  exhausting games, sometimes keeping a normal sleep schedule is out of the question. Cemere Petty, a sophomore here at EGHS, participating in 3 sports this year: Volleyball, Basketball, and track & field. When asked a various number of questions, her response was nothing less than predictable. "Playing sports and keeping up with school work effects the amount of rest I get every night." says Petty. With workouts, games school work, home responsibilities. things get difficult. As an athlete, I can relate to Petty. There are many day where I feel like sleeping for days on end.
           What about grades? Sometimes maintaining the required grade average is a challenge. Kiley Sears, also a student at EGHS. Says " Practices, games, and meets take up of time, which gives me less time to study" To be on top of everything is exactly an easy task, it effects us not just as a person but as a student. Now, there are times where want to quit. However that should never be an option, because for some people. A football or baseball is all they have. Even though we shed our blood, sweat and tears for the love of our sport. We never give up. Cindy Seymour, our volleyball coach here at EGHS. says "As the season progresses I think its harder to get the athletes to give 100%" That may be true. We will become exhausted. However we do not give up so easily. As an athlete our mental mentality, our physical mentality and our will power is pushed harder and harder with every practice and every competition. it makes us stronger. We become fighters. Our determination never weakens.
            However even though it is tough at times, its not all bad. When a number students were surveyed 8/10 students agree that their sport is fun! Once you join a sport, you join a team. You want to always have fun with your team. Your team becomes your family. There will come times when your self and your teammates don't get along. But at the end of the day. Your team, is who you pass the ball to, it's who you throw the football to, it's who you set the ball to. It's who you share your funny moments  as well as your rough moments. The point is, with all an athlete gives to their sport, such as hard work, and dedication, it brings good times and bad times.  Eventually..... it all pays off.