To the average Rocky student, their schedule is to wake up at maybe six in the morning, go to school, come home, do homework, eat dinner, and go to sleep. But for student athletes like Rocky cheerleaders, this simple schedule is far from the truth.
Not only do student athletes have to put their all into their sport, but their academics, as well. Though this feat may seem near impossible to a non-student athlete, competitive and regular cheerleader Jordyn Jett-Ryan proves them wrong.
Doing two types of cheer, Jett-Ryan’s schedule commonly looks like regular cheer practice from four to six on Tuesdays and Thursdays, regular cheer games on Fridays, cheer competitions on Saturdays, and competition cheer practice on Sundays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Not to mention a full day of school and other extracurriculars like Student Council and Grey Matters Collective. But to stay on top of this hectic schedule, Jett-Ryan says she has “to plan in advance I set multiple timers every morning at certain times with different phrases that will help me get up at different times…Academically I use a planner to keep assignments in line and time limits on things I need to work on in order to get things done. Both schedules don’t balance well, but I make it work.” You may be asking, “how exactly does she make it work?”, to that Jett-Ryan replies, “I place boundaries on what I can and can’t do on my time and attempt to not let both schedules blend together because I contribute a lot to both of my schedules.”
Balancing school, sports, and a personal life can seem impossible, but with a plan that works for you, it can be accomplished. Everyone lives a different twenty-four hours, and everyone handles challenges differently, but by putting trust in yourself, anyone can overcome a stressful schedule. In the wise words of cheerleader and honors student Jordyn Jett-Ryan, “Do what feels right, but don’t be afraid to push yourself.”
