The Balance Between Student and Athlete: An Introduction to USJ’s Fall 2024 Captains

Written by Vivian Pawloski

As the fall semester begins, that also means the start of a new season for many of USJ’s student athletes. The 2024 fall sports teams include men’s and women’s soccer, women’s field hockey, women’s volleyball, women’s tennis, and men’s and women’s cross country. All teams have already competed in their season and home openers, and are working their way through the game schedules, with some teams scheduled to play up to 25 games in their regular season. Although the beginning of the year can be crazy for everyone, athletes must be resilient and find balance when facing the responsibilities of being a student and a teammate. After interviewing a captain from each of the fall sports teams (excluding men’s soccer) we are given a better understanding of the balance between being a student and an athlete at USJ.

The balance between academics and athletics can be difficult, causing increased stress and pressure on student athletes. For some, like Jenna Zup, senior math major and captain of the women’s soccer team, being in season helps her stay on a strict academic schedule. “By knowing that I have practice at a certain time or a game on a certain day in the week, this creates a schedule for my school work.” For others, like Rachel Heaney, senior nursing major and captain of the volleyball team, the balance can have a big mental impact. “Some weeks hit me harder than others and I feel so completely burnt out and have no energy or will to want to get anything done. Sometimes I take a night off from academic work so I can get to bed early and allow my body to rest. Being disciplined is something I strive to do because it allows me to have more flexibility when I feel myself getting overwhelmed or burnt out from everything going on. Keeping myself organized is also very important because it helps me remember those important dates and deadlines.” According to Abby Delgado, senior business management major and captain of the field hockey team, the ability to balance academics and athletics might also depend on your major. Delgado commented, “For me personally it’s not as hard because I’m not a nursing major so it’s not too difficult, but there are times where it gets kind of stressful…but I always make sure to go to office hours, talk with my professors and coach, and try to keep everyone in the loop.” Depending on majors, the workload for a student athlete might differ, but when adding the responsibilities of captain on top of that, it becomes one more thing to try and balance.

For the captains, they may feel even more pressure to perform well, being the role model and leader for their teammates. By taking on the role of captain, one is adding to the pressure and mental struggles of being a student athlete. Braeden Lafromboise, senior nursing major and cross country captain states, “I try hard to represent the athlete our program wants us to be to help motivate other members of the team to do the same by pushing myself at practice, training during the off season, and performing well in the classroom.” Rachel Heaney also shared her personal standards of being a captain, stating that, “As a captain it is important for me to be adaptable because every player on the team is different and being able to learn how to best support each of my teammates in their own way is something that is important to me.” Zup also adds her beliefs of a captain’s duties, “I would say the first responsibility is leading by example for your teammates. By doing the right thing even when nobody’s watching, this will create accountability and trust within a team…As a captain, it is important to support your teammates and make them feel heard.” These comments show just how much responsibility captains put on themselves and the rigorous standards they uphold themselves too. Along with these standards and intense balancing act, student athletes also experience many mental challenges.

Liliana Garcia, junior nursing major and captain of the women’s tennis team, claims that her biggest mental challenge when it comes to being a student athlete and captain is the pressure she feels in all aspects of her life. Garcia states that, “The most mentally challenging part of being a student-athlete is the mental pressure to do the best I can possibly do in every aspect of my life. I feel as if I put a lot of pressure on myself to be the best athlete on the court, the best student in class, and the best person I can be for others in my life. Due to this, I can be a little hard on myself, impacting my mental satisfaction for myself as a person.” Feeling the pressure to succeed in all aspects can cause intense mental distress and become unhealthy if the appropriate steps are not taken to cope. Many student athletes might feel burnt out or washed up because of this. Heaney comments on this more when stating, “For me the most challenging part of being a student athlete is feeling burnt out from long days/weeks. I often find myself in a rough head space from time to time because I feel like I am not doing enough as a player, leader, or student. Sometimes I feel like I am not cut out for it or that I am not good enough. I feel like I should always be doing something even when I know my body needs a break.”

Student athletes push themselves in every aspect of their lives in order to be successful at what they do. This can cause personal struggles when it comes to academics, athletic performance, and especially mental health. It is important that family, friends, professors, and coaches all understand the ways in which an athlete must spread themselves in order to maintain a healthy balance in their lives. The statements and comments from USJ’s very own fall captains, Jenna Zup, Rachel Heaney, Braeden Lafromboise, Abby Delgado, and Liliana Garcia, are a testament to the life of a student athlete and the responsibilities of a captain. These athletes deserve to be recognized for their hard work and dedication in their academic and athletic careers, as well as their commitment to their friends and family for maintaining all that they do.

Featured Photos by USJ Athletics