Editors Note: Mary Therese ’08 is a Stags varsity soccer player
It’s common in sports to hear only about the championships or the big games. The headlines only focus on the moments that change the face of sports and of course the athletes who make those moments.
However, athletes only experience such thrills during those defining moments. They spend the rest of their lives preparing to get there.
There is a myth that college athletes’ lives are wonderful and privileged, that they never have to attend class and that the benefits are almost as good as the scholarships. If that isn’t enough, they also graduate with a degree and have a chance to play in the big leagues!
Realistically, the world of college athletes is vastly different from such presupposed myths. My experience as an athlete has proved this thus far.
My life as an athlete begins three weeks before the fall semester of school and consists of nothing but work. Preseason is a never-ending battle between not only my teammates, but also my emotions and physical ability to keep working.
Although our game schedule takes palce exclusively in the fall, soccer is a year-round commitment.
Practices last from 1 to 3 p.m, but become a four hour adventure when you add in rehab, icing, warm up and everything else that goes into prepping for practice.
This schedule continues into the spring, where most of our practices focus on conditioning or on honing individual skills. So the only break I truly enjoy is after the end of our season to the end of Thanksgiving.
In one week, we practice four times and have two games – the equivalent of the time a student would spend working a part-time job.
After spending hours traveling by bus and practicing, the only time left is used to do our homework. Despite popular belief, preferential treatment of athletes by professors in the classroom has never existed in my life.
That’s not to say there aren’t any perks. For instance, we get to register first for our fall classes, but so do debate team and those with academic scholarships. Since our practices are usually 1 to 3 p.m., most of the classes I need to take fall during practice time.
We can also miss class for games and trips, but the hassle of making up work is more troubling than going to class. Though professors are easy to work with, no one likes a student who chronically cannot show up.
However, being an athlete is truly about the intangible awards. The thrill of winning a big game, a conference championship and a bid to the NCAA is an experience that cannot be articulated.
Teammates also account for some of the most memorable moments we have and create some of the greatest friendship bonds throughout life. Whether it’s the 6 a.m. workouts coordinated by Head Strength ‘ Conditioning Coach Mark Spellman, the long bus rides or the moments that define you out on the field, your teammates are always there.
Athletes’ lives may seem great on paper, but we are no different than students involved in extracurricular activities or with jobs.
The only difference is that we live in a world where the words “Spellman conditioning” make your body shudder. So all I have to say to my fellow athletes is: “Ready Hup!”
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