All throughout high school and college, I have seen a constant comparison between sports and theater. Those in theater claim what they do is just as demanding as a sport, and much of their argument can be valid. I've held a few roles for small productions back in high school, and it was time-consuming. There was much effort put into the smallest details; the costumes, make-up, set and even more. Even off stage, they put in work by memorizing numerous lines and scenes. I truly admire the hard work and dedication that is out into plays and musicals.

However, there are completely different demands sports teams have to make.

Is theater demanding? Yes. Is it time-consuming? Yes. Productions take time and effort, and it is physically and mentally draining. Of course, they are working towards something great. And it is respected.

With sports, comes more physical demands.

First off, being an athlete means that you constantly have to think about the decisions you make and how it will affect the future. That means taking the smallest things into consideration throughout the day, such as what we have to eat for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Athletes even have to take how they spend their free time into judgment because any mistake off (and, of course on) the field can affect their health and their goal for reaching peak performance.

During practice, there are tons of physically exhausting drills and plays that are run in preparation for the next game. We constantly have to be aware of what is going on around us during a performance. Players wake up early for morning lifts and travel far to other schools for competitions.

Not only do we have to be aware of every decision they make, waking up before sunrise to go to practice and travel. If an athlete gets injured, there are hours spent in an athletic trainer's office, going over exercises and treatment in order to get better. This can be a mentally, physically and emotionally draining for us. And it takes time, depending on the injury.

Lastly, it is a mental game as well, contrary to popular belief. Working with different personalities at a physically fast pace can be difficult. Athletes can clash heads and it can be frustrating. It can also be draining to lose, it messes with us mentally and brings doubt and lack of confidence to the team.

And I'm sure theater kids go through the similar struggles as us, just not as physically demanding.

Each hobby strives for the same goal. They work for something greater than themselves, something that they can be proud of. I can respect and support the hustle of those who work in theater. I understand that. However, as an athlete, I take it offensively when people try to compare both hobbies when the demands for both are entirely different.