Late Nights, Early Classes: Student Athletes Struggle to Stay Awake

By Dylan Sonnier

Getting out of practice at 10:30 p.m., to turn around and wake up for an 8am class is not for the weak. Between late-night practices, early classes, and academic responsibilities, some student athletes said that they are exhausted.

“Being a student-athlete with late practices honestly leaves me mentally and physically drained,” said Jordan Brown, a junior on XULA’s cheer team. “Some days I’m running on fumes, and by our off days, the exhaustion hits so deep it feels like I can barely move,” Brown said.

Brown said the lack of downtime makes it difficult to recharge between commitments, and even small tasks can feel overwhelming after long nights in the gym.

The pressure to perform both athletically and academically creates a cycle of burnout that’s hard to escape. 

“It feels like I’m trapped in a constant cycle of burnout with trying to study when my body is tired and forcing myself to stay focused even when my mind is foggy,” said Elias Cato, a sophomore on XULA’s cheer team.

He also said that falling behind in school becomes easier when fatigue sets in, which only increases stress and makes the cycle even harder to break.

“Being a student-athlete is tough, especially when practices run late and you still have to study or finish assignments,” said Cameron Speed, a junior on XULA’s cheer team. Speed said that managing time becomes a daily challenge, and many athletes feel as though they have to sacrifice sleep just to stay caught up with their responsibilities.