SPORTS

On the Bus
by Rebecca B., Garden Valley Collegiate, Winkler, MB

Sleep, school, practice, work, homework, sleep, and repeat. This is somewhat the cycle followed in the lives of Garden Valley Collegiate basketball player Erika Pfahl and soccer player Randy Froese. And they have to fit in social activities somewhere, if they can manage, and yes, they usually do manage.

High school athletes are often not given enough credit for balancing their lives as well as they do. Playing two to three games a week, practicing every other day, playing in a tournament over the weekend, doing homework, and finding time for friends and work can be a pretty tough job. During basketball season Erika puts her work and social life on the backburner while school work and her sports activities take priority. She has become a pro at budgeting her time and squeezes in homework wherever she can, on the bus, and before and after practice.

While Erika sacrifices work during her season, Randy continues to work on his family's farm during the soccer season. He keeps pretty late hours, practicing after school until six and then going out on the farm until eleven. Randy tries to give his school work priority, but he also enjoys his social life.

Giving up their sport to be able to balance their lives better is not an option in either case. When asked if she would ever give up basketball Erika said, "When life's so intense everyday, basketball helps me to let loose."