Big W

My life as a student athlete has had some crazy things happen as of late.  And now that school is basically in full swing, I have had to go through the entire process of every day up late doing whatever I can to get it done.  And so far this year, I'd have to say I've been pretty successful.  Every Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday I try and follow my normal routine with school and football and then eventually getting to training.  And I have to say, I'm pretty happy with the way that I have been able to get there.  Usually I get there at least twice a week which isn't bad for being in the middle of football season.  Football's is probably the hardest season to be able to get things done because you're just so tired all the time and never want to do anything post practice.  But luckily I've been able to get to and from training.  The real key to that though is the fact that I have my license now, and have the freedom since I have a car that's basically mine.  I get home around 8:30, if I'm lucky.  Eat something until nine, and eventually start my homework around then.  To be honest, I dread waiting until this late to to homework, especially on the days when I have Trigonometry to do.  Mrs. Nelson tries her hardest to get the most out of us, and pushes us to the limit.  It is hard work, I can't lie, and there's is a lot of times when I really don't wanna take the time look things up if I need help, especially if I'm not going to hand it in.  I don't really do what I should do sometimes when it comes to homework there, and I need to fix that.  Especially if I would like to keep my grade up in that class, which I need to do.  Trig is really the only class that I'm most scared of, just because of what I've heard about in the past.  Chemistry and Spanish are the next two hardest classes in my book, Spanish because I get lazy and take it for granted and really never want to do anything there.  Mainly because I really do not understand the entire course, and I feel like it's ridiculously complicated.  Chemistry is really interesting and I love it, but, throughout my freshman and sophomore years, I struggled in the Sciences and my goal for this year in that class, is just to understand all the material.  Right now I think I'm off to a very good start in all my classes, and my ultimate goal of course, is to continue my honor roll status.  I'm looking to 6 for 6 in my honor roll years since Middle School.  The PSAT is upcoming soon too.  Saturday, October 20th is the date for that I'm pretty sure, and it is $14 a person, and it is very helpful.  It can prepare your for the SAT, and you can get a nice look and what your going to be stressing over.  Tip #2 for a student athlete: If you are a junior, you must take the PSAT, if you are a sophomore, you can take it too, and I recommend it, I took it last year and it is a good experience, it also helps you for college, it helps you kind of get a grip on what you wanna do when your older.  The last couple days, or last week, I've had to make a very tough decision.  And that is what I'm going to do throughout the winter in baseball, how I'm going to get better, and who I am going to work with one on one.  It is really hard to make these kind of decisions without hurting anyone's feelings or stabbing anyone in the back.  But, it has to be done.  Tip #3 for a student athlete: Do what you think is right, go with your gut, and whatever is going to help you be the best you can possibly be, also if you're asking for help on a decision make sure you trust that person, and make sure they're being honest with you.  So you know how I'm a pretty big procrastinator, well due to my laziness and no will to do any work 4th block today, which is Friday of Homecoming game in the biggest game of the year against Depew, I'm sitting here at approximately 11:44 pm, doing my blog.  And to be honest this is not fun at all.  Especially when you run out of things to talk about, you just start rambling about dumb things like I am right now.  Anyways, huge win for us tonight, dominating on the scoreboard, a 34 to 13 victory for Alden, and we solidified our #1 ranking.  Next up for us is Medina/Lyndonville, a team with a high power offense that loves to throw the ball up and let people make plays.  It should be a nice test to see how we react after our big win.  We have now won 25 straight games against Section VI opponents are we are sitting pretty.  I can't wait to get back to the Ralph and get farther than last year, leading up to the game against Maine-Endwell, hoping we get to see them.  They are the number one team in the state and we are number two, should be interesting if it happens.  Till next time.

My Rough Schedule

The life of a student athlete is probably one of the most complicated things to keep up with, or to do, at least I think so.  And I'm a student athlete all year round, because I play football, basketball, and baseball, and keep up with my grades fairly well as I've been an honor student every semester since the beginning of 6th grade for me.  So what this "Life of a Student Athlete" blog is supposed to do is to basically update you on things that are going on in my life and possibly even give you advice on what to do if your struggling or when you think things are getting to hard or people are getting too hard on you.  This is my first year as an upperclassman, and I am in the hardest year of schooling as a lot of people would say.  I have chemistry and trigonometry, not helping my case, but not to mention I have to prepare and take the SAT's in hope to get a good score so that the colleges will be impressed with my academics to go along with my athletics.  Currently I am in the heat of my first season on the varsity football team, and school is ending the second week; the students and the kids are starting to get into the swing of things and soon the tough concepts and materials will be upon us.  With all the preparation and hard work that must go into to the football team each and every day, I have to stay focused and stay awake every day, and it is not an easy thing.  You get home from football practice and I feel dead some of the days and I just want to take a nap but I can't.  You see, my main sport, or main focus for the matter is baseball.  It's the sport I am better at, and it's the sport that I would like to, and see myself trying to pursue a career in.  And I'm in the middle of trying to get into a quality college playing baseball, as a pitcher, that's what I am.  With that being said, I have to get bigger and stronger and improve my pitching all winter long, fortunately for me I'm not in winter pitching sessions yet, so that's at least one less thing I have to worry about.  My main goal for the winter is to get my velocity up by the time summer rolls around for next season so that I can get schools to become interested in me.  Right now, I'm nothing, I do not throw hard enough and right now I would go nowhere, but luckily for  me I have an entire year to become what I want to be, and to achieve the standards and expectations I have for myself.  Not anyone else's but my own.  And I am currently doing my best to put the work in to get it done.  So right now at the moment this is my daily schedule during the days before Wednesday.  Try to wake up around 6:30 in the morning so I am able to have the amount of time needed to get ready and to get school.  I go to school, then after that football practice to an average of 5:30 every day.  I get home eat something then around 6:30 I leave to go to the Eastern Hills Mall where a place called Sports Performance Park is, and go to Absolute Performance or "AP" as a lot of people who go there call it.  Absolute Performance is a sports training facility inside SPP, run by former athletes and graduates of the University of Buffalo.  This place is designed for athletes looking to take the next step in their athletic career physically. There is a certified trainer who helps you, along with many other athletes like you, work on your speed and strength.  It is a very worthwhile place that I feel will help me get to the next level.  I trust them, and believe in them to help me.  Plus, you get to meet new people and athletes in your area, and maybe even kids you play against in school.  It's fun to joke around with each other about who's better than who and trash talking but it's all in good fun.  I've made some new friends since I've been there and we stay in touch even when we’re not working out.  One person who's worked out there that would stand out to most is James Starks, Running back for the Green Bay Packers, he comes and visits once in a while and that's pretty cool to see him and talk to him.  So anyways, training usually ends around 8:30 and I'll usually get home around 9, have something to eat and then get back to academics; homework and/or studying until however long it takes me, and trust me, it is not fun sometimes.  I've had to be up until all hours of the night before; I think the latest it's ever been is around 1 in the morning for me.  But usually, that's because I procrastinate so, Tip #1 for a student athlete: do not, I repeat, do not procrastinate a long project or paper that you have to do, it is not worth it to do it that night before it is due.  So is being a student athlete hard?  Yes.  Is it worth it?  Yeah I would say so, the most important reason to be a student athlete is because if your successful, it makes you feel so much better and, it makes the school year go so much faster.  'Till next time, goodluck and stay focused.