As a student athlete, sometimes your mental and physical health takes a toll, because you have a lot on your mind.
It all happens so quickly. Coming to school for hours every day, having a lot of homework possible, having a job or two, having a practice for a couple of hours after school, and having to do that day in and day out for the rest of your sports season can be tiring.
In the case of senior Jordan Schwent, who plays varsity volleyball as an outside hitter; she has learned how to balance the challenges of being a student-athlete.
“It is hard to balance out school and sports, but it’s worth it at the end of the day,” Schwent said.
Schwent has been playing volleyball since her freshman year and has fallen in love with the game.
“It is something I can grow in everyday,” she said about her sport. Four years later, she is now a senior who is still loving the game of volleyball and ready to graduate in May.
For the volleyball schedule, the team practices every weekday if they don’t have a game, but if they have a good week of games they can earn a “no practice Friday.” They recently have been having more games than practices, but they usually practice six hours a week. The practice starts at 2:30 p.m. and can go until 4:30 p.m., but on gamedays they have volleyball until about 7 or 7:30 p.m. on most days.
With being committed to being a student and an athlete at the same time, that sometimes includes being willing to multitask. Usually she plans ahead with her work so it doesn’t affect her grades with incoming practices and games, but sometimes if she does have homework on gamedays, she focuses on the game first and with little free time in-between does her homework.
Many athletes in all different types of sports often have a pre-grame pick me up snack.
“My go-tos are Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups or a strawberry lemonade Powerade,” Schwent said.
On top of being a student-athlete, she also currently works two jobs. She works as a hostess and she works serving and setting up parties. She normally works between two and three times a week when she has time.
“I haven’t been able to work much at all this school year due to all my sport and school commitments,” Schwent said. With so much currently happening in her life, she does go through some mental and physical toughness some days, but she has expressed that there is still light in the darkest of days.
She has made long lasting friendships through her sport and jobs, and learning skills she has developed through her high school career.
“Jordan is the loudest cheerleader on the floor, makes you want to smile, is very respectful, unselfish, and has a great heart,” Coach Kirkpatrick, one of the volleyball coaches, said.
With this being the seniors last year being on the high school volleyball team, it will be up to underclassmen to keep leading the team.
“The underclassmen have learned how to play as one, achieve as one, and work as one from our seniors,” Kirkpatrick said.
It is not always about the destination, but the road to get there. “Be happy where you are right now and just don’t take it for granted,” Schwent said.
