Student-athletes are often viewed as just players on the court or field. While this is true, participating in the sport is only one aspect of it. Student-athletes also have to deal with courseload, personal responsibilities and maintaining a healthy mindset both in and out of school.

Student-athletes Elicia Back (12), varsity tennis player, Isaiah McGraw (11), varsity tackle football offensive linebacker, Devan Acharya (12), varsity soccer player and Jaelon Landers (11), varsity tackle football tailback & defensive back, discuss their journey playing their sports, from lessons learned to biggest motivators.

Mindset

TSP: How does it feel being a senior in your sport?

Acharya: “It feels pretty good, but also very sad and emotional. I just feel sad—it’s my last year. Work hard, play hard.”

Back: “There’s that [hierarchy] just because you’re older and the underclassmen are ‘scared of you.’ It’s really nice because when you were younger, you always looked up to the upperclassmen, so now I get to be that.”

TSP: How do you mentally prepare for a game?

Back: “Just do it. If you win, you win. If you lose, you lose.”

Landers: “I focus my mind on winning.”

McGraw: “I listen to music and relax.”

Acharya: “I listen to music, eat, sleep on the bus, or play Clash Royale. I’ll listen to Bollywood music, Michael Bublé, DaBaby, Lil Baby, or NLE Choppa.”

Challenges

TSP: Do you find it hard to balance school and tennis? If so, how do you deal with it?

Back: “Being in a sport takes time, but I was also a student with tons of AP classes last year. [During the] peak [of] junior year, [the workload] wasn’t too bad at first, but around October it got stressful,” Back said. “You just have to grind through it—there’s no shortcut. […] All sports are difficult, but tennis especially. You can fall into slumps so easily—it’s a mental game, plus the stamina.”

TSP: What is the most challenging part of football?

Landers: “Learning and memorizing the plays.”

McGraw: “Waking up early for Saturday practices.”

Motivations

TSP: What makes the sport fun for you?

Acharya: “Bonding with the team. It increases chemistry on and off the field.”

TSP: Do you find it difficult to balance school and football?

Landers: “Football actually helps me keep my grades up so I can stay eligible [to play in the team].”

TSP: Is there anything specific that pushed you to keep going with your sport?

McGraw: “I’ve always wanted to win. You need the right mentality—you can’t just be nice all the time, you have to
stay competitive.”

Support

TSP: Who has been your biggest supporter?

Acharya: “Probably Tyler [Ling (12)]. He’s pushed me through my ups and downs, [and] lifted me up. He’s always been there for four years.”

Back: “Definitely my dad. He’s still big on tennis and always willing to help me get better.”

Landers: “My mother, father, and grandmother. They keep my head in the game and motivate me.”

McGraw: “My parents, my sister, Coach Coburg, and Coach Bellocomo. They’ve all given me motivation and encouragement.”

Advice for younger players

Acharya: “Work hard and put in the effort. Don’t think it’s easy, because it’s not. Don’t give up during conditioning—push through.”

Back: “It’s a hard sport. Don’t beat yourself up too much. Practice, practice, practice. The more experience you get, the better you’ll be. It depends on how much effort you want to put into it.”

Landers: “Don’t goof off. If you’re going to play the sport, take it seriously.”

McGraw: “Don’t take it for granted, because it goes by really fast. There will always be good moments and memories, so make the most of them.”