Imagine coming home from school every day, stressed and tired, with what feels like one thousand Canvas assignments filling your computer screen. But you can’t start your homework right away because you have to go to sports practice for the next three hours.
For many Indian Hills Middle School students, this isn’t just a scenario; it is their daily reality.
Society as a whole is putting too much pressure on student-athletes. They handle the same academic workload as other students while also being expected to perform well in their sport. This pressure often leads to unhealthy stress and burnout.
Academic burnout is real. Keeping up with all your assignments is a struggle on its own, and many student-athletes find themselves racing against the clock to turn them in on time. Sometimes, it gets to a point where the student no longer cares, and they fall into a routine of not doing their homework and watching as their grades rapidly plummet.
On the other end of this scenario, student-athletes can become so focused on their academics that they lose sight of what they love about their sport. Indian Hills student Elyse Argie states, “There was a time when I was struggling to find joy in dance because I was so worried about my grades and getting my schoolwork done on time. Dance, an activity I have been doing since I was five years old, started to feel like a chore when my workload from school became too much.” Elyse demonstrates athletic burnout. When the thing that used to be your favorite part of the day starts to feel like just another assignment, it becomes almost impossible to stay motivated. This shows how too much pressure in the classroom can damage not only the athlete’s grades but also their mental health as a whole.
Some people argue that the pressure we put on these student-athletes is actually helpful and can teach them real-life lessons and what it is like to be an adult. While this could be true, not everyone can handle that much stress (especially a middle schooler), and there is a difference between a healthy challenge and an overwhelming pressure.
Schools, parents, and coaches need to work together more effectively to reduce the pressure we put on student-athletes.
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