Student Athletes Examine Academic Schedule

By Lauren Lee and Elaine Qiao

Athletes, like many Exonians, balance intense course loads, multiple clubs, social lives, and sleep in their academic schedules. With two-hour daily practices (excluding Sundays), full-day trips for competitions, and games, and the need for adequate sleep and nutrition, concerns have been raised about whether the rigidity of the schedule places athletes at a disadvantage in other aspects of student life at the Academy.

Some athletes have reported that having both their coursework and sports commitments combined, under the current schedule, has increased their stress and decreased their focus. Additionally, junior varsity sports and varsity track meet during class periods after lunch, which some students claim has disadvantaged them during their afternoon classes.

“With track practice taking place during E and F format in the winter, it’s definitely harder for me to focus in my evening classes, especially math, which takes place during H block,” upper and track runner Zuzanna Szul said. Though most student athletes are able to finish their assignments without any issues, many have found that they must sacrifice their sleep, social time, and hobbies to do so.

Upper and track runner Advay Nomula added, “If you are a consistent athlete—all three terms— devoting a lot of time to extracurriculars can be tough. I know many robotics teams, for example, meet during the time after Wednesday classes or Saturdays to work, and this interferes with a more structural sports block. I can’t devote enough time to a robotics team, so I wasn’t able to be on one.”

“I have to put a hundred percent effort into school and a hundred percent effort into my sport. And there’s only so much time in the day,” said prep and boys’ hockey athlete Brendan Petraco, who often finds himself sleeping less to ensure he completes his assignments.

“[A] lack of sleep impedes athletic performance and raises the chances for injury,” Instructor in English and crew coach Rebecca Moore said. “Athletes may communicate with me as a coach about their need for sleep, and I may understand, but PEA girls’ crew will always send the athlete to the health center for a fatigue or health excuse.”

Other faculty members who coach sports have shared their perspectives about the Academy’s schedule. “Athletes — at least at the varsity level — should understand that their sport will require a significant time commitment,” Instructor in Math and varsity boys’ hockey coach Brandon Hew said. “Because of this, they’ll need to be very conscious and intentional about how they manage their time and work.”

Instructor in Math and varsity boys’ lacrosse coach David Huoppi shares a similar perspective. “I hope [athletes are] not affected differently than other students. If everyone taking the same class has the same amount of work to do, hopefully, student-athletes can manage their time no differently than a student who’s in a bunch of music groups that meet after dinner. Those students have to manage their time around those commitments. I would hope that student-athletes can do the same and figure out their overall workload and how to work that into how they spend their free time during the day.”

Senior Lally Lavin, who plays both tennis and squash, agreed. “I don’t think the workload is any different for athletes than non-athletes,” Lavin said. “That’s how it should be. We have a little less free time, but being a part of the squash and tennis teams is worth it.”

Other athletes also felt that they should not be treated differently from the rest of the student body. “In terms of assignments, I don’t think athletes should have a different workload or anything like that; we’re still academic students,” upper and swimmer Ellie Wang said. “I think teachers should teach the material that students come here expecting to learn, and while homework sucks sometimes, it is a part of the Exeter education that we came here for. You have to commit a lot of time and energy to your sport, so between homework and sports, I’ve found that I have less free time to participate in clubs. It’s all part of the balance that we’re juggling.”

With all that said, some athletes believe the Academy’s schedule is actually convenient for athletes. Upper and rower Jamie Reidy said, “I think the schedule at Exeter works well for athletes. There are never more than two classes in a row, And and breaks to get ahead on work or go to the gym.”

Other athletes also do not feel as much of a time rush during the day.

“Normally, practice isn’t too bad since we’re just using some time that I usually have class in and instead doing a sport with that. The only time that [the workload] does get a bit tough is when I have to miss class because we’re going a really long way for a meet or something like that,” lower and swimmer Lang Gou said.

Some athletes have shared that playing their sport actually improves their concentration and performance in class. Wang said, “Being a swimmer has actually helped me academically, believe it or not. After practice, I feel way more energetic and focus better on my homework. Because I spend so much time in the pool, I have to be efficient with my homework, and that time pressure helps me squeeze out just a little more time I wouldn’t have if I didn’t swim. And just in general, swimming helps me feel physically well and makes me pay attention to my food and sleep quality, which definitely helps my academics as well.”

As for how the schedule could be improved, Wang has practice during G/H and describes her ideal schedule as having swim practice first thing in the morning “because, at the end of the day, I’m usually worn out from my classes before I even get in the water.”

Additionally, Gou said having extra office hours so that athletes can meet with teachers during the season would be helpful because “it’s a tight turnaround to get from classes to practice already, and there’s not a lot of time with teachers when I have questions to ask.”

Moore added, “I think a way that PEA could help all students make better choices about their time would be to continue requiring physical activity as many terms as possible and more actively enforce the expectations that clubs do not meet for students of any age during study hours from 8pm to 10pm.”

“The Academy makes changes to the schedule from term to term and tries to create a structure that is manageable for students while maintaining Exeter rigor,” Reidy said. “It is important for the Academy to listen to the sports teams on campus and be open-minded to changes that would better support them.”