Student-Athlete is a term used to describe an individual who balances the discipline and intense training required by their sports and the mental strain of juggling school. No one embodies this better than junior Korra Kapenga.
Korra is a girls wrestler who has qualified for the state tournament, an achievement that requires immense discipline and dedication to her sport. Despite having wrestling practice every day after school, along with a tournament most Saturdays during the second trimester of the school year, she still manages to excel in the classroom.
One of her most stressful days is meet days because she has to worry about wrestling and school work. Every moment of that day is related to making sure she performs her best in her matches. Starting with breakfast, where she said
“I start my day with a good breakfast, usually oatmeal, a granola bar, or a banana.”
She then starts her day at school, where she attends her normal classes and makes sure that she’s drinking plenty of water so she is hydrated for her match later in the day. She then has a free hour, and during that free hour, she goes home and tries to relax before her matches. She is very busy, however, during her free hours, because this is the time that she gets any extra homework done. Along with getting homework done, she also prepares her stuff for wrestling, where her mom does her hair the same before every match. To keep the routine the same, she does two braids in a high bun. Then she packs any snacks that she wants for before and after her matches.
After her free hour, she then leaves to go to school and leaves for her meet. Whenever she gets there, she warms up with her team, making sure to get a sweat in so she feels loose for her match. This is when her mental game starts. Before her matches, she sets “process goals” for herself, which are things that she wants to work on doing during the match. After her matches, she reflects on what happened, and Korra said
“After the match i think of the things I did well and need to fix.”
Korra Kapengs is an excellent example of how a person can balance school and a demanding sport. She uses her free time to make sure all of her schoolwork is complete so that she can spend all of her training time focusing on wrestling and improving in her sport. Every athlete should strive to have mental, physical, and nutritional balance of Korra.