Students vs. student Athletes

The differences between a student athlete and a student

by KJ Gardner, Reporter

Tel Frishinger is junior at CKHS, as well as a student athlete who plays baseball and football. Frishinger has played sports since 3rd grade.

Frishinger is from Montana and has a loving family of two older sisters who are both graduated and a mother and father. “My family is very close, we do everything together,” said Frisheinger.  Frisheinger’s family all played sports, since they played, he wanted to play sports too. 

Frishinger has been in a lot of major events such as 7 on 7 tournaments and football games with big teams. From a little background this shows Frishinger has a lot of support from his family and loves to play sports. Frishinger explains that there are challenges with being a student athlete such as: keeping up with grades and being held responsible and making sure you are respectful on and off the field.

Student athletes in schools are held accountable to have nothing less of a C and are only allowed to have one incomplete. Frishinger however has exceeded those standards and went above and beyond, maintaining  straight A’s. “In order to play sports you have to work for it,” said Frishinger. It’s hard having school throughout the day and coming home to a pile of homework and knowing that it’s due at a certain time.

Frishinger said “it’s sometimes stressful to try to communicate with teachers, especially this year do to COVID-19 because teachers are in and out of classes.” Frishinger has had to depend on teachers that aren’t his assigned teachers to help him study and to help out with homework.

Frishinger however has not been excused from school due to a COVID-19 matter so it has been a breeze for him in that area. With the struggles student athletes have gone through this year Frishinger explains the easiest thing about being an athlete is playing the actual sport. Frishinger thinks if everything lines up right with grades then football or baseball for him will come easy.

Students however have it quite easier. Ryley Just is a Senior at Central Kitsap High School. She was born and raised in Washington and has two older siblings who graduated CK and has a lovely Father and her mother.

Just wants to go to college for Athletic medicine at OSU. She wants to become a Physical therapist as well as eventually get the pros and be a physical therapist for the Seattle Seahawks one day.

As a student there are very few challenges such as: not having teachers be at assistance. Just explains that when teachers are not present she can’t find help. Students who attend school can still be exposed to COVID-19. When being exposed and sent home from school.

Just said “Teachers don’t communicate well with assignments you have missed.” 

The responsibilities of a regular student is keeping up with grades and staying safe in school according to Just. The easiest part of being a student is not having to worry about all the homework students have late at night after practices.

“Having to keep up with grades and play sports at the same time can be stressful,” Just said. “I think being a student is a lot easier than being a student athlete, but student athletes have better outcomes.