AHA Blog: Ask Our Athletes: Sports Can Change Your Life

Scholar-athletes are real-life action heroes, especially at Holy Angels, where they learn to balance their personal lives with busy academic and extracurricular schedules.

“Being an athlete can be all-consuming as far as time management goes,” AHA Athletic Director Patti Gorsuch commented, acknowledging the long practices, late games, and, at times, the need to forego a vacation. “I find that our athletes manage to do it all, and actually become more organized and focused in all aspects of their busy lives, because they have to. Our athletes are so well-rounded because they have learned how to budget their time each and every day.”

Several Angels shared how their athletic pursuits impact other aspects of their lives, including academic achievement, leadership, character, and service to others.

“As a year-round varsity athlete, often I find it difficult to find a balance between an Advanced Placement class course load and two- to three-hour practices after school,” Kaya shared. “Whether it is soccer practice in the fall, or track practice in the spring, my schedule is always packed with activities and extracurriculars.”

Kaya drives a good distance to AHA every day, so the hybrid instructional model allows her to bank 80 minutes on the days she attends classes virtually.

“This pandemic frees up time for homework; however, my sports are usually what keep me organized,” Kaya added. She shared that time management is crucial to a student-athlete’s success. Without sports, Kaya said her time management has suffered. This senior still handles her busy life with aplomb.

“I have learned that, in order to be able to handle all of my work, I cannot dwell on the things I cannot change,” she noted.

Izzy, who is also a senior, said her experiences as a softball player and bowler have allowed her to see the results of her hard work in a concrete way.

“I am so grateful to have been able to learn and grow through AHA sports,” Izzy said. “It has been an opportunity to develop leadership skills and discipline. From the first time I stepped on the pitching mound as a freshman, I have become infinitely more confident in myself and my abilities. Not only have I taken away athletic improvement, but also lasting friendships and time management skills that will serve me for life.”

Brooke Hess, Class of 2022, has already committed to play tennis at Dartmouth.

“Playing a sport, for me, tennis, is a very rewarding endeavor that has positively impacted multiple aspects of my life. I believe I am a more compassionate person from athletic competition because I have experienced the highs of winning and the lows of losing,” Brooke noted. “Hard work and dedication have led me to my academic success, service participation, and eagerness to become a leader in my community. Most importantly, I have learned the importance of heart, and that a true passion and motivation for what you do is a vital aspect of success.”

Mary, a senior pole vaulter who will be attending Vanderbilt this fall, says her sport is a reminder that failure is just the beginning of success.

“We end each meet on a missed jump,” Mary shared. “The missed jump is the driving force to work hard and come back stronger. Working together as a team we stay positive and support each other. When I get a test back that isn’t the grade I worked for, I don’t let that stop me. They say you are not a true pole vaulter until you crash and go again. There is always the possibility I could fail, but I also know I can fly.”