Thanks to winter weather in January, FCHS winter sports teams have been forced to crowd their schedules with up to four games each week. For example, the boys and girls basketball teams were originally scheduled to play two games a week. However, snow and ice extended winter break by a full week, causing many games to be rescheduled. Due to the heavily end-loaded schedule, there was limited availability for makeup games–hence the four-game-a-week schedules.

Although the weeks have been busy for athletes juggling school and games, coaches like Varsity Boys Basketball Head Coach Heath Bralley see this as a learning opportunity.

“I am sure it is a bit more of a challenge and may have an impact on their ability to get rest. However, they are student athletes and have to balance out the two, no matter the schedule. Time management is important, and situations like this are a teachable moment as far as that goes,” he said.

Still, some seniors are struggling with having to work tirelessly to complete school work and still be present at practices and games.

“The hardest part about being a senior is trying to balance a sport and prepare for college all at the same time,” said senior Mason Kirby. He added that he finds it difficult to get home so late. “School has been a lot harder with playing four games a week. I do not get back until 10:00-11:00 most nights which leads to very limited time to study,” he said.

While school work is still a big part of being a student athlete, seniors have the added stress of having to decide what the next few years will hold for them.

Senior and girls basketball player Ikeena Spruill says the hardest part of being a senior athlete under such circumstances is “having to find that balance and maturity of everything, because there’s a lot that needs to be taken care of when you’re a senior.” She added that there are “also a lot of things that can easily distract you from what is actually important.”

While seniors have a lot to cope with, they aren’t the only ones being affected by the compressed schedules. As the second semester begins, most students are getting used to new classes, making it all the harder to adjust to sports/classwork challenges.

“It can’t be easy starting new classes and not being home before 8:00 or 9:00 almost every night. [So students’] overall mental and physical health will definitely be affected,” said Varsity Girls Basketball Coach Joshua McElheny, who admits that he also finds it difficult to make adjustments in the program with no time for practices.

Even though the weather has put a toll on winter sports schedules, there are no easy answers. “Unfortunately, this is part of what comes with winter sports….If you don’t reschedule missed games, you miss out. If you do reschedule them, you end up with a situation like we are in now,” said McElheny.

“When it comes down to the game, there’s no excuse. If you want it, you gotta believe it and go get it,” said Spruill.