Twelve hours of physical demand each week. Getting home after the sun sets. Waking up with aches and pains. And even after all of these commitments, losing is still inevitable.
These are the struggles that every student-athlete faces. For Pinewood, this past sports season was the breaking point for many of their athletes. After all sports teams failed to bring home a CCS championship banner last winter, Pinewood School has announced that all athletes will no longer have to participate in academics. This was due to almost all teachers agreeing that sports are more important than academics.
“Although academics are important, athletics completely overshadow anything that takes place in the classrooms,” Pinewood Athletic Director Matt Stimson said. “This was something that needed to happen.”
Without the burden of seven draining hours of school each day, athletes can now get more sleep, allowing more time for rest and recovery. Athletes will also now have more time to review game film, memorize plays, and work out on their own.
“When an athlete is better rested, enhanced results naturally come as an outcome,” Athletic Trainer Javier Margarito said. “I’m tired of the excuses athletes have been making. Since time shouldn’t be an issue anymore, each athlete should roll out for an hour each day while getting a minimum of twelve hours of sleep each night.”
Furthermore, with this extra time, athletes will now have the time to do things such as plan gameday outfits and perform their obscure pregame rituals.
“I always watch LeBron highlights before each game,” senior Shay Cornyn said. “When I lace up in his shoes after watching his magnificence, I feel ready to play.”
Although the number of students on the Pinewood campus will now be even smaller than before, school spirit will continue to thrive. Without the presence of athletes, who all complained about how energy-draining assemblies have been, the school’s pride will remain unaffected. Although Pinewood is known for its fostering community and remarkable spirit, the athletes have been known to be the most energy-draining people on campus.
“I hate the way athletes act around campus,” Stimson said. “They all try to act ‘nonchalant’ as if they are drained of all of their energy. Sports cannot be that difficult. Their presence will not be missed at all.”
With the establishment of this new precedent, Pinewood’s athletics now have even higher hopes than before. If athletic teams continue to put together disappointing seasons, even more modifications will be made to the student-athlete experience. If there are no signs of progress in the near future, athletes may be required to train during school hours. Alongside this, their whole lives will be monitored 24/7 to ensure that they are all doing what it takes to be a great athlete at all times.
“If all of our teams don’t bring home a state title, this change would be a complete blow,” Stimson said. “I expect to see multiple undefeated seasons, league MVPs, and state championships in our future.”
