Student Athletes

Student Athletes

Tom McMullen

Student athletes are students that are also athletes, hence the name. Student athletes go through immense amounts of stress while trying to balance their school life and homework, social life and friends and go to practices and games. Rio Norte has plenty of student athletes that play baseball, basketball, football etc.

 

Student athletes undergo lots of stress. This stress can cause eating disorders, substance abuse, and lagging behind their peers academically (typically in highschool or college sports).  Eating disorders within sports typically are in sports that are aesthetic sports such as bodybuilding, gymnastics, or swimming. Weight class sports such as rowing and wrestling also leave a high chance of developing eating disorders, but they are less likely. 2 in 3 athletes are more likely to develop an eating disorder and males athletes are the more vulnerable group.

 

Recent study indicates that 95% of male and 85% of female student athletes report higher stress compared to 52% of non-student athletes. “Being a student athlete can be stressful at times’ says Charles Goodman, 7th grader at Rio Norte. 8th grader Nick Philips said “it’s a lot but it’s also pretty manageable”. Stress is a feeling of emotional or physical tension. It can come from any event or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or nervous. Stress is your body’s reaction to a challenge or demand. In short bursts, stress can be positive, such as when it helps you avoid danger or meet a deadline.

 

In conclusion, student athletes undergo a lot of stress and this can lead to bad things. So be nice to your athletic friends.