Team sports play an important role at SHS, and practice times can influence student-athletes’ success on and off the field. Depending on the sport, practice times can range from right after school at 3:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. With freshman, junior varsity, and varsity teams all having different practices, scheduling practice times that meet everyone’s needs can be challenging.

Senior Sydney Lydon has been playing soccer since she was young. A member of the SHS girls’ soccer team, she said practices usually begin at 3:15 p.m. and end at 4:45 p.m., which is a manageable time for her. During soccer season, she could arrive home at a reasonable time and get her homework done without it being too late. Lydon added, “Having this time also allows us to come together after practice the day before games and enjoy our pasta party.” 

Senior Sumner Harris shared a different view on her after-school practice times. A standout varsity volleyball player, Harris said her team typically holds practice from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sumner enjoys these practice times; however, she usually feels drained from the long school day before practice. Getting out of school at 2:46 p.m. only gives her 14 minutes to prepare for practice, limiting her ability to take a break or rest. Similar to Lydon, Harris believes that having early practice times benefits her since she has a fair share of homework during her senior year.

Senior wide receiver Charlie Hartwell explained that football practices are usually held from 4:30 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.  He enjoyed the time to rest after school; however, after a three-hour practice, he had no motivation to complete his homework. Junior running back William Robinson expressed a similar frustration, saying there’s an awkward amount of time between when school ends and football practice begins. According to Robinson, there is time to go home but not enough time to take a nap.  After practice, he is very tired and unmotivated to work on homework.

The SHS Athletic Department has the arduous task of scheduling practice time for all levels of sports; however, student-athletes need time to complete their homework and fulfill their academic responsibilities. With rumors of studies being eliminated in the future, when will student-athletes have time to study?