Credit to Madalyn Bridgewater

Seniors Cassie Hodgkins and Sailor Sulin are three-season athletes who play the same three sports and have played together since they were young.

Balancing academics alone is a struggle for most people, but for seniors Cassie Hodgkins and Sailor Sulin, it takes on a whole new meaning. For fall, winter, and spring seasons the pair are playing sports together non-stop. A typical day in-the-life consists of school, practices, friends, homework and much more. For Hodgkins, the social advantage in playing sports includes meeting new people.

“It doesn’t affect my social life negatively, because I meet people that I wouldn’t usually meet which is super cool,” Hodgkins said.

Sulin and Hodgkins are also in clubs such as DECA and HOSA. They have known each other since pre-school and played soccer together in elementary school. They reconnected since then and have had a better friendship since they are always together.

“I’ve been friends with Cassie since I was about 3 years old, and I think there were times when we argued, but overall she is my best friend and we have a lot of fun,” Sulin said. “It has for sure brought us closer together.”

Seventy-eight percent of all teens report bad time management skills including procrastination and low motivation to get stuff done. Spending all day at school and sports leaves little time at home for the two. However, the seniors believe there are advantages and disadvantages for always being very busy.

“It definitely keeps me busy and I definitely have to have good time management skills to get my homework done and still go to sports
practices on time,” Hodgkins said.

With every advantage also comes a disadvantage. The constant cycle keeps repeating through the whole school year for Hodgkins and Sulin, and they also believe that there is a negative impact on academics and physical health.

“It can be really tiring sometimes, especially freshman and sophomore year, but I would say it’s easier to manage now,” Sulin said. “It was definitely a slippery slope junior year, but I do a good job planning around [sports].”

Studies show that 57.4 percent of all high school students play sports, 70 percent of student athletes quit before high school, and only seven percent will go on after college. Sulin considered playing soccer in college, but realized that wasn’t for her and now will go to Mizzou and is considering a doctorate in psychology or business. Hodgkins wants to continue playing in a recreation league at college and is also going to Mizzou for Health Sciences.

“My advice to athletes would be to stay well rounded and don’t give up,” Sulin said. “If it is hard for a year I would say don’t give up and get down to good time management. It is all very do-able if you just stick with it.”