I know I introduced myself on the first day as a student-athlete, and you were very understanding. But I'm not sure you actually know and understand everything my daily routine entails. I know you don't mean any offense when you call me out in front of the class for missing a day due to away games, but I want to write you real quick to clarify that I'm not ignorant, lazy, or careless by any means.
When you're lenient to a classmate because she "just works so hard, and manages 20 hours a week at a job on top of doing all her homework", I want you to know that I'm that person too. I have a 20 hour a week job. Even though it may not be working at Sonic 20 hours a week, I promise you it's just as demanding, if not even more so. I work 20 hours a week on shifts that start at 5:40 AM in the morning. Sometimes I'm even required to work over hours with extra treatment/therapy sessions, team events, and community service.
And because of that - I'm tired. I'm not lazy or careless, just tired. Let me make this clear that this is no excuse by any means, just a point worth making. I'm tired because all of my time, efforts, and passion are being torn between my classes and my sport. Time, effort, and passion are on a constant demand in my life. And it's exhausting balancing them all. I come home every evening to the homework from that day and I stare at it for a good 2 minutes before sitting down and attempting to crank out as much as possible, before going to bed and being woken up at 5:40 AM the next morning. Once again, not an excuse, just not what many students face daily. Often times within a few hours of class, my classmates have already completed and posted their assignments, just as I'm entering the locker room for practice - where my attention and work is demanded even more than it is in the classroom.
Lastly, I want to remind you, that my constant goal is to represent not only my team, but this school, and you as well as I possibly can. We're ALL on the same team. Improvement and success is what is demanded of me daily. In the classroom and on the field.
So, next time you give the girl with a full-time job an excuse for late work, please remember I'm no less than her, and that when I miss class due to a game; that is my job. Please remember that although I may look like I got hit by a bus while sitting in your class, I'm giving you as much of my focus as I can. Lastly, please respect my job and drive for this school's success and work with me and my hectic schedule.
I'm fully aware the world does not revolve around me. And some may even consider collegiate sports pathetic in the sense that we're "handed everything." But I promise you we're not. We're just tired mentally, physically, and emotionally. And sometimes, when you call us out in class you make us feel completely disrespected for what we attempt to do. Please just respect me, my profession, and my desire to do well in your class.
- Your Student-Athlete
