Isabel knows she has a choice. She could finish that last section of her English project, or practice shooting goals in her backyard to prepare for her upcoming soccer game. Isabel ponders on this as she ultimately decides to finish her homework. She is one of many athletes facing the age-old question: to do homework or not to do homework?

Isabel Zajac, a freshman on LTHS’s Junior Varsity soccer team, balances her classwork and sports load while using her grades as motivation and a tool to push herself to do better in school. 

“If I am not doing well in school, then it’s going to affect [my eligibility] in soccer,” Zajac said. “I always try to keep [up with] both  [schoolwork and extracurriculars] and do my best.” 

To manage her time between school and soccer, Zajac utilizes many different methods to keep track of the things she has to get done. 

“I have a planner which I write my assignments in and have a sport communication app [named sportsYou] that updates me on practices and games,” Zajac said. “I normally give myself an hour or so break after school to recollect my sanity and then start my homework.”

Aside from playing on the LTHS soccer team, Zajac also plays soccer outside of school and describes how her extracurricular soccer team affects her studies. 

“Sometimes I do have homework but kinda push it off till later if I have the choice, but again, that outside of school soccer is also kind of a form of escapism and stress relief too,” Zajac said.

Another freshman, Amulya Gowthavaram, who isn’t involved in sports, understands the importance of taking time to relax and to focus on other things besides school.

“I think it’s important to take breaks in between homework [after you finish an assignment or something] and listening to music helps a lot because it calms you down, and yeah, hanging out with your family once in a while,” Gowthavaram said. “Because if you do homework all the time, then they might not see your face.”

All in all, Zajac finds ways to balance her sports life and school life in healthy ways. 

“For some reason, I feel like some days a lot of work is done but then a lot of work is also not getting done on other days. So, normally it’s bearable,” Zajac said.