APRIL 15.2015 • CLACKAMAS PRINT
7
Student athletes face off
against extra stress
Athletes at CCC find different ways to deal with stress of
classes and jobs on top of athletics
by Gifty Ulinwa & Jack Spencer
photo by Jack Spencer
Balancing school and work is never
an easy task, but what happens if we
throw collegiate athletics Into the mix?
The stress of work and school can be
trying enough, but today’s college ath
letes have much more on their plate.
How do collegiate athletes today
manage their time? From exercising to
spending time with friends, they find
different ways to manage the stress.
“We are full-tim e students with
many obligations outside of school
and track,” said Clackamas Community
College high-jumper Desiray Robin
son. “I deal with It by getting rest In
order to reset my mindset, and spend
time with my roommates and friends
to remind me of the fact that I need to
try and have some fun.”
Dealing with everyday stress for a
college athlete seems to be part of
the routine for a season, but what
happens when school gets a little too
Taylor Balkan works the admissions booth on Sunday at a volleyball tournament, another job in her already hectic schedule.
hectic?
“During finals week Is when track
gets really stressful,” said Robinson. there are makeup games during the that, I had no chance to get an A In different way than your everyday stu
dent.
“I have to worry about studying and week and I have to miss Cass, which the class."
“For me, I’m paying for everything
passing all my classes in order to stil, has already happened In spring term,”
on
my own,” said CCC volleyball play
said
CCC
pitcher
Mark
Rees
via
text
be eligible to compete for track.”
er
Taylor
Balkan. “So that means the
message.
“You
have
to
make
time
for
The average student has a lot of
apartment, food, electricity all that
stress during finals week. The amount yourself somehow so you don’t get
kind of stuff. This season I tried work
of stress added to an athlete having stressed out.”
ing two jobs and playing volleyball and
Rees
went
on
to
add
that
baseball
to worry about eligibility as well is just
taking 17 credits and that didn’t work
has
prevented
him
from
getting
the
too much.
out in my favor as far as grades were
Although Robinson felt It add grades he wanted in certain classes.
concerned, it was super stressful.”
ed ample amounts of stress, she still By staying ahead In class he can plan
Balkan was In the same boat as
for
unforeseen
scheduling
conflicts
loves the track program and would
all of the other college athletes, try
that
baseball
always
brings
In
Oregon.
never leave It.
ing to manage the stress of work ana
“I had a double header at Pacif
Robinson has managed her time
school
while playing a college sport.
ic
College
the
day
before
my
final
in
between school and track to be able
She found that making a to-do list and
science.”
said
Rees
via
text
message.
do the things she wants to. Today’s
College athletes like Rees are miss exercise are good ways to manage the
athlete will succeed If they manage “There were rain delays and one of
their time correctly, even if it means the games went Into extra Innings. We ing their chance to get their desired stress. Though It would seem that as
hard as these college athletes try at
sometimes going above and beyond got back at 1:30 In the morning and I grades because of their obligations to
every aspect of their life, they are re
athletics.
It
challenges
these
athletes
did
not
have
any
time
to
prepare
for
to do so.
warded with extra stress.
to
deal
with
college
life
In
a
completely
the
final
like
I
usually
do.
Because
of
“I try to stay ahead In class In case
“ Because of that,
I had no chance
to get an A in the
class.”
-Mark Rees