High school athletes practice almost every day to get ready for the big game. They attend and work hard during practices because if they don’t perform well they will not be able to play. As students they also need to perform well in the classroom to succeed. That includes doing their homework. Whenever a teacher assigns homework the whole class breaks out simultaneously, “Homework again, we always have homework in this class!” This is typical in a class when student don’t want to sit down and cram their brains with information. However, when homework doesn’t get done, it reflects on their test grades.

Being good at something doesn’t come naturally, it takes practice. When I first stated playing volleyball I was terrible at it! I couldn’t serve overhand and when I would try to pass the volleyball to the setter it would tumble through the air in the opposite direction. I attended practice everyday and worked extremely hard to get better. By the time I was in fourth grade, I could serve the ball overhand due to practicing extra with my parents. Practicing for a sport is the same as doing homework. As a student math homework is extremely important for success in the class and on the tests. By doing the homework students are able to understand what they are learning better because they are taking the time to actually do it. Playing a sport and doing homework isn’t all about practice, it is also about asking for help when needed.

Unfortunately, when an athlete is having trouble in a certain area, he or she doesn’t always ask for help because they want to fix their problem on their own. For example, this past weekend during a volleyball tournament there was a girl on the opposing team who had a really tough serve and she kept serving at me. Every time she would serve at me, I would either barely get the ball up, or I would shank the pass off to the other court. My teammates noticed my frustration, so they pushed me to the back of the court and had Bre take my place because they knew that I needed help. This is the same for homework. If you fail to seek help you will lose. I know that math is one of my worst subjects and because of that I am struggling with the math problems in chemistry. During Chemistry I usually ask Bekah to help me with the math problems and explain it more so I can understand it better. If I wasn’t able to seek help from my friends, I would stay after class for guidance from my teacher.

Commitment is a word that most people don’t think about too often, but as an athlete this work is used frequently because commitment is extremely important. To be a superior athlete, it is important to be present for all practices, work tremendously hard during practice, listen to the coach, and stay late or come in early to improve skills. Missy, the middle hitter on my volleyball team, had just gotten her wisdom teeth yanked out the day before practice. To show her commitment she came to practice anyway, but she didn’t play; she just sat and watched. In the classroom the word commitment isn’t mentioned much because the student needs to be responsible enough to want to succeed in the class. Chapter six in my Algebra Two class really puzzled me, I had no idea what was going on! I sat down after taking notes that day during class and realized that I had no clue what I was doing. So the next morning I went in early to receive help. After I got help I passed the test with a 95% because I took the time out of my morning to get help!

Athletes don’t get a grade for being good at a sport or being committed to it, but they do get recognized for their accomplishments. Most people don’t realize how closely related being a good athlete is to being a good student. So it is time for everyone, student athletes and even just students, to take more responsibility to get their homework done and succeed!