An average day for freshman football player Greyson Felner consists of an eight-hour school day, three hours of practice sports, two hours of homework and perhaps, if he has time, a block of an hour or two of free time. However, these are just statistics, and they vary greatly depending on each student. This then begs the question: how does a student manage both school and sports? What are their universal thoughts, concerns and joys about this? When asked, each student-athlete is more than capable of listing a multitude of joys they experience while being a part of a high school sports team. Emily Calhoun, a freshman on the varsity volleyball team, admitted with a laugh, “It's nice to be known at school. » She also took the time to explain that being a high school athlete is probably the best experience she can have, because her teammates have become a sort of second family. Calhoun, however, is not alone in her opinion. Freshman cross country runner Clark Bowden also said, “I loved running cross country. It helped me get through the first part of high school and I had a lot of fun. "These opinions are not limited to person or age. Senior Joel Choi says of golf: “It's a time-consuming sport [golf], but if you train properly, it's very rewarding." Even coaches understand the important role being part of a sports team plays in a student-athlete's life. Derrick Rauenzahn, coach of Madison Varsity Golf, noted that ". .. athletes find sports fun and enjoyable, and they actually reduce stress and improve healthy social skills." Nevertheless, these joys come with consequences that many student-athletes struggle to cope with. A lot of sacrifice. .... middle of paper ...... a matter of organization and time management He talked about how sports helped him develop as a professional adult “A lot of it comes down to. Student Courage It is well known that sports and other extracurricular activities such as orchestra, choir and drama help foster the development of student courage. added Coach Rauenzahn, in agreement with what being a successful student-athlete boils down to. Being a student-athlete, while rigorous and arduous, is definitely worth the time and effort because ultimately, what is gained from a high school athletic experience is considerably more than meets the eye. A game that one loves becomes the foundation from which vital skills are honed and acquired. “There has never been something I am more proud to be a part of. I am truly grateful and fortunate to be a Madison student-athlete. Amber Liu (University Golf, ‘16).