The demanding schedules of high school athletics, including the inconvenient practice and meet locations, can be a struggle for student-athletes to manage. 

Neve Erdman, a varsity soccer player, and Isabella Dalla-Corte, a junior varsity (JV) cross-country runner, are both sophomore student-athletes. The two shared their experiences managing their homework load and having to deal with traveling to meets, games and practices.

Due to the construction of the new building, Lincoln does not have a practice field. This has created a problem for students, as they have to plan their evenings around the commute to their off-campus practices. 

“We practice [from] 5:45 to… 7:15 at Rieke Elementary School, which is right next to Ida B. Wells,” said Erdman. “It takes me about 20 minutes to get to practice, and 25 minutes to get home.”

As for the cross-country team, meet destinations are often lengthy car rides away, and the locations are inconvenient.

“We have meets once a week. I would say on average, [they are] 30 to 45 minutes away,” Dalla-Corte stated.

Despite the unfavorable meet destinations, cross-country practices take place at Lincoln. The runners take advantage of Lincoln’s utilities as they meet in the wrestling room, and have access to the gym.

“Our practices are around four, and they’re in the wrestling room,” said Dalla-Corte. “I usually get home between home between 6:15-6:30.”

As a result of the traveling that goes into practices and meets, student-athletes have to develop strategies to manage their homework.

“My favorite strategy is that I don’t eat dinner with my parents anymore,” said Erdman. “I just bring it upstairs and eat while I work… it’s just managing your time and sacrificing your time to do other things.”

As the school year progresses, the workload and academic responsibilities of students increase. 

“It can be overwhelming for sure,” Erdman said. “[I] always have a lot to do, and only so much time in the day.”

Despite the difficulty that can come with managing homework and athletics, Dalla-Corte stated “cross country and running helps with destressing.”