Kelli Miles
ENGL 1301-060 Mooney
Essay #2
6/22/2014
Staying on Top of My Game As ice hockey champion Wayne Gretzky once said, “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.” Like most student athletes, I take my shots by working hard not only for my grades but for basketball as well. I am among the “About two percent of high school athletes who are awarded athletic scholarships to compete in college” (“Athletic Scholarships”). It is a privilege to play at the collegiate level, but be awarded an athletic scholarship. I do not take this opportunity for granted. Because being a student athlete is very time consuming, I stay on top of my game by working ahead of schedule. To succeed with studies and sports I have to discipline myself, improve my basketball skills and exercise good time management skills. Some might say that students don’t have enough time for studying or homework because they need to focus their time on improving their skills, but responsible students can excel in both their sports and their academics. I agree with Megan Hodge, the 2009 AVCA Division I volleyball player of the year, who says “Grades are very important. Depending on the level of academic success at the school, grades could be very influential when it comes to impressing college coaches and getting a look.” My strategy as a college athlete is to develop good discipline habits ahead of time so I will not struggle with my classes or my sports events or future life events.

Kelli Miles
To stay on top of my game, one of the most important skills I need is good time management. If that is a challenge for me now, it will definitely cause problems in the long run. Everything must be planned around my practice schedule, starting from wake-up to the end of the day. Of course, I have to factor eating and studying, around class time, and once those things are in place, I may be able to find room for anything else I want to do. I keep in mind that the college athletics department requires that student-athletes not miss class or arrive late to practices and workouts. I would be wise not to try to squeeze things in at the last minute. I didn’t get too excited about picking a major. I understand that I don’t have to pick my major just because everyone else picked theirs. For instance I know some athletes who wanted to become doctors but had to put some of those courses on hold because they would miss too many classes because of team traveling.
As a student athlete I have to balance my educational workload, and commitment to basketball, all in one day. Balancing these two tasks is often stressful and difficult. My daily routine consists of waking up, eating, attending class and practice, and