STudent athletes in Baltimore. How to balance? How to succeed?

Maura Wilson | April 14, 2026

The bell rings through the halls of Baltimore City College, the sound signals the end of the school day for most students, but instead of a relieving sound, some students hear it as a sign to transition from their academic hardships to their physical ones. 

As these students leave their classrooms, the thoughts weigh on them of all the work they must do in the very brief hours they have at home later.

In Maryland, during the 2022 - 2023 school year, 28.6% or about 1 in every 4 high school students participated in a sport. So, it is not uncommon for students in Baltimore City Public Schools to play these sports as well.

 Being a student athlete is a hard life to lead, with having to juggle school work, sports activities, social life, and enough time for relaxation. It can be very intense, leading to stress and burnout.

A 9th grader at Baltimore City College,  Rose S, who is on the Women's Varsity City soccer team, expressed her opinion to me about the struggles of being a student athlete.  “I think it's hard because you wanna be there for all the practices and wanna be there for the team, but there are also deadlines and requirements for school that are hard to make with other commitments. The school or teachers don't take into account how the student athletes are trying to balance and work. Though it's not required, it is still very important to have sports or extracurriculars like that to get into good colleges and to seem like you have a balanced schedule.”

The National Federation of State High School Associations reports that a little over eight million students participated in high school sports during the 2023 - 2024 school year, which is a record high for the nation. The NFSHSA provides a clear number of high school students who participate in sports in America. These numbers signify the importance of the problems that high school athletes may face because so many teens may struggle with the same challenge of balancing their schedules. 

Most schools across the country have a system in place called academic probation, or a student's academic standings. This mandates high school athletes to maintain a 2.0 GPA in order to remain on the team. 

Amelia V, a senior at Baltimore City College, has been playing sports for her whole high school career. In describing the impact participating in sports has had on her through her years, she says, “Being a student athlete means it's harder for you to get access to the learning centers and things like that because you really can't stay after school. You don't have the same amount of time. It's harder to access some of the extra resources and materials that are available to everyone else. It is rewarding because sports are amazing, and it's a huge part of my life. But it definitely is difficult to balance. It really does force you to not procrastinate, not leave things to the last minute, to be extremely proactive in getting your work done because there is no chance for you to catch up if you fall behind.” 

As Amelia mentioned in one of her statements, playing sports, for her, is still rewarding and impacts her life. This adds another complex mental layer to the lives of student athletes. If they love what they do, then they will do anything to try to keep themselves on the team, to keep themselves playing. This mentality can very quickly lead to burnout and overworking. 

Scientifically, this makes sense because, as the National Library of Medicine states, “Aerobic exercises, including jogging, swimming, cycling, walking, gardening, and dancing, have been proven to reduce anxiety and depression.” Most high school sports involve these exercises. In addition, students mention that the team atmosphere of most sports is a massive benefit, and shows the support a student gets out of doing a sport. These elements require students to juggle their sport, which is linked to their community and their happiness, while also balancing their academics, which in most parts is their future. It is a tricky balance for most students to make.

A 9th grader at Baltimore City College, Andia H, who was part of the Baltimore City College Cross Country team and is now part of City’s Indoor track team, expresses her opinions on being a student athlete and how that affects her, “Being a student athlete is incredibly tough because you are constantly busy, and truly don't have time for anything. Especially if you're not specifically gifted in the academic section, you have to study a lot to catch up to other people. You just don't have the time. It is mentally, emotionally, and physically draining. But I love it and will never stop.”