Archer’s sports season is up and running, and it’s time for our athletes to get back into the groove of balancing their time between athletics and school work.

Like any other commitment, participating in an after school sport leaves less time for homework— making time management all the more important.

While balancing fall sports with new academic challenges is exhilarating for Archer girls, it is simultaneously overwhelming and can cause stress.

Former teacher and current sports coach Kim Smith gives us her opinion on the importance of organization when participating in school sports: “The structure [of being on a sports team and managing homework] allows you to improve time management.” She adds, “It’s proven that students do better during the season because due to less time for school work, the girls have to learn to use their time more efficiently and stay focused.”

The start of a new sports season provides the perfect opportunity for girls to whip their time management into shape. Juggling sports and academics requires them to discover their most efficient studying strategies.

Sophomore Yolani Alvarez says, “I consider which [assignments] are first and least priority. I figure out the average amount of time that I need for each assignment.” She says these study habits help her stay on track with her school work.

“I took great advantage of my free periods. That free time during the day was extremely helpful and allowed me to get tons of work done, that way after practice I wasn’t swamped with work,” explains Archer Alumnus Sheila Alexander ’13 about her days at Archer as a dedicated student athlete.

These suggestions may be the key to a less stressful,  more organized and enjoyable school year.

Featured Image: Middle school students focusing on their classwork. Photographer: Rosemary Pastron ’16