Masuk Free Press

Like most high schools across the country, athletics play a major role in the community of Masuk. After taking home three state championships just last year, it is clear that students at this school take pride in their sports. Throughout the year, athletes across Masuk put in countless hours of practice and conditioning for the benefit of the Masuk name. However, is there one season that works a bit harder than the others?

In my very biased opinion, being a student athlete during the winter season is much more difficult than participating during any other sports period. The spring and fall seasons are lightwork compared to the brutal mental and physical challenges that come with participating in a winter sport. 

Regardless of the season, excelling as a student athlete is a very difficult thing to do. It takes a high level of maturity to balance school work with athletic performance. Oftentimes we find ourselves leaning towards the latter, which can be detrimental to our success in the classroom. 

“Similar to students, academics are the priority before athletics.  As a result, time management is a key to make sure you can devote the time necessary to be well prepared,” said Daniel Young, history/psychology teacher and head coach of girls basketball.“It’s a pleasure to discuss psychology and history during the day and then focus on basketball in the afternoon.”

When you are able to balance the two, yes, it is very delightful. However, there is one factor that makes being a student athlete during the winter slightly unenjoyable.

The most glaring downfall of the winter season is the dreaded m-word: midterms. This week of hell takes place in early January – right in the thick of the basketball, hockey and track seasons. In the days leading up to midterms, student athletes are bombarded with study guides and Quizlets for six hours a day, exercised to the point of exhaustion for two hours after school, and then have to go home and study. 

“School stresses me out just as is, the dual pressure of dealing with multiple major tests and practice after school makes it even worse,” said sophomore athlete Bailey Bajda. “I’m a person who likes to be prepared for my exams. So it’s never ideal when I have only so many hours at home to study.” 

Midterms take place in the thick of the season, where athletes have multiple games and practices a week. Last year, the earliest I would get home from school was 5:30. After eating dinner and showering, this left barely enough time to do homework and also study.

As a winter-athlete, the most stressful week of my life was last years’ midterms. Constant anxiety surrounding academic performance paired with athletic performance is a recipe for disaster. 

Ollie Panella is a three-sport athlete at Masuk who, like myself, believes that the winter is the most difficult season. 

“Midterms during the season are a lot to balance out at once,” said Panella. “You don’t have a lot of time to yourself during that two week period between studying for upcoming exams and also actually taking them.” 

Going from school to practice to studying leaves barely enough time to shower, let alone spend time with friends and family. 

“With practice on top of that, it takes a really large toll on your mental and physical wellbeing,” Panella said.

It may be argued that finals week during the spring should hold the same amount of stress as midterms. Nonetheless, there is one factor that makes finals just a bit more bearable than midterms in the winter: weather.  

Although we play different sports, Panella agrees with my opinions of the inconveniences the winter season brings. 

“When it’s too hot or cold it really makes a difference on your performance and in my opinion your motivation. I feel much less inclined to go for a run when it’s freezing cold out,” said Panella. 

Maintaining conditioning is much less enjoyable during the winter than any other season. 

“Struggles during the winter season often times revolve around the weather.  Depending on the type of winter we have may force us to miss practices or reschedule games,” said Young. 

Imagine hearing the harsh sound of your school alarm and forcing yourself to get out of your warm, cozy bed at the crack of dawn. With toes stuffed under layers of fuzzy socks, you walk outside to pitch black, numbing cold. Yay, time for school. This alone is enough to drive a student crazy, but for athletes it is ten times worse. After multiple hours of practice, the last thing I want to do is trek through the glacial arctic from the gym entrance all the way to Junior Lot. 

That five minute walk is my personal hell, and what makes it even worse is that it is not only cold, but dark as well. At 4:30. How depressing is it to walk into the Masuk doors at seven am (in the dark) and exit the building at five pm (in the dark). 

The dark is just one of the many factors that play a role in the hatred of winter sports. Weather makes it extremely difficult to enjoy the season, and with midterms included, winter is the absolute worst season to be an athlete.