From the mat to the classroom: The Scholar-Wrestler Balance
By: Landen TenBrink
How do Wrestlers manage academics and athletics, what kind of time management methods do they use? What kind of study habits do they use? People see the sport of wrestling very packed and complicated with the schedule. Wrestling usually has multiple meets every week and some of them are team meets and some are individual and your schedule becomes so packed because everyday it’s something with wrestling. It’s always hard to fit things into your schedule during wrestling, but a good question is how are Student athletes balancing athletics and academics?
A wrestler Chase Morrison wrestles for Hamilton and he says “I balance wrestling and academics by having set times to do one for example, I will have practice from 3-5 but as soon as I get home I have a few hours before bed to get homework done and I also make sure to use class time wisely because I know that my time is limited.” Chase is a year round wrestler and has tournaments all the time, during weeks with tournaments or meets it will be a busy week so he knows he has to make time for his academics. It can be hard for athletes to balance academics and athletics, for example having practice right after school and then coming back home very tired can be tough. It can be hard to pay attention to because wrestling could be on your head and maybe your next meet might be on your head or maybe if you made a mistake that also might be on your head and it might just be hard to sit down and pay attention. As an athlete it is good to stay organized and have some sort of schedule to stay organized and pay enough attention to your academics. It is good to find a silent spot after practice at your house and just pay attention and lock in to your academics. It’s good to have time management and balance your academics and your athletics, it will prepare you for the future when you are an adult and you are working, for example maybe at work you have to finish something but you also have to make time for your family it is good to have time management to make sure you finish your work and then to have time for your family and everything else. Sports will prepare you for your future life by learning from your mistakes. Or thinking of it as your coach is your boss at your future job in life you have to work and listen to him to help make the team better. As much as we care about wrestling, academics are of equal importance. Wrestling is a privilege and that privilege is earned in the classroom first. Coach Trenten Holyfield says “We constantly remind our athletes that grades are a reflection of how disciplined you are. We hold them accountable by checking grades weekly, having honest conversations, and setting the expectation that being a great wrestler means being disciplined in school. The same focus, toughness, and consistency it takes to win matches is what it takes to succeed in the classroom. At the end of the day, we’re not just building wrestlers, we’re building responsible young men and women who are prepared for life beyond the mat.” Coach Holyfield helps his wrestlers focus on academics and encourages them to make time for wrestling and outside of that to do good in the classroom. As a coach you have to make sure you are helping your team understand that they are student-athletes and make sure they are paying attention in the classroom and focusing on academics. As a student athlete you need to have time management skills to be able to focus on your academics and outside of that your athletics.