The pressure of being a student-athlete

By Arnav Ahuja

The pressure of being a student-athlete is immense and can get really stressful. It is tough to navigate through athletics while trying to keep up with your academics. Balancing rigorous training schedules, competitive performance expectations, and academic responsibilities poses significant challenges. Many student-athletes feel the weight of expectations from coaches, teammates, and, often, family members, striving not only to excel in their sport but also to maintain strong academic achievement.

Many athletes find themselves under too much pressure, and as a result, many of them give up on their sporting dreams so they can find time to improve their grades and please their parents. This is how extreme the pressure can get. If you know someone who is a student athlete, try to give them more support and encouragement, and refrain from making fun of them for potentially having low grades, etc.

As a student athlete myself, I can tell you that it is not easy. I have to please a vast number of people, so many that I have already lost track of them. But most importantly, I have to please myself, and when I don’t, I feel frustrated and dejected. And sometimes when I underperform in my sport, I feel as if I have no purpose in my life, because I have spent so much time on this one sport, and I am not even that good at it. My dreams as a young kid have faded away because I am not even succeeding in the one thing I am supposed to be good at.

But it is important to feel those feelings and learn from your mistakes because, despite these pressures, many student-athletes develop resilience, discipline, and a strong work ethic, skills that can benefit them long after they leave the playing field.

Just remember, if you feel down, seek support from people you trust, such as your friends, teachers, parents, or coaches. Or even come to me and speak about it, but never bottle up these feelings.