Alexandra Esquivel Santos is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Mesa High School for AZPreps365.com

MESA, Ariz.— Mesa High’s girls volleyball must balance the expectations set on the court while also keeping up with responsibilities. Between classes, completing assignments, attending practices and games, handling schedules and personal life, it can be challenging. These athletes need to find ways to focus on their academic goals but also how they perform on the court.

The pressure to thrive does not end as soon as a game is over for these athletes, as the challenges of being a student-athlete go past the court. 

“Balancing my social life, having friends and wanting to go out is definitely hard,” libero Charly Pacheco said. “The most pressure is big games, being one of our core players is a lot of pressure.”

The expectations of big games can make it challenging for student-athletes to dedicate time to their own personal interests. The players work to balance extracurricular activities while also making decisions on how they will spend their free time. 

Players have to arrange their schedules properly to make room for schoolwork, personal activities and volleyball.

“Some days when there are shorter practices, I have to spend all my time on my homework,” setter Danielle Phillips said. “I just have to be really good at my time management.” 

Being a student-athlete also means having to pass up on important events outside of the sport. Team commitments can make it challenging for the players to attend work, family gatherings and other activities.

“I babysit as a side job,” outside hitter MaileRose Platt-Adams said. “There was a time where I had to miss babysitting to stay at practice because we needed more help.”

Balancing responsibilities is challenging but once the Jackrabbits step foot on the court they need to set aside distractions. They need to completely focus during games and work as a team which can be demanding, especially when every point in the game is important.

“I try my best to keep whatever is going on outside of volleyball, outside the court,” Platt-Adams said. “Volleyball is a lot about your attitude, it’s a mental game at first and then it’s physical.”

Being able to keep a positive mindset during games allows for the players to succeed.

It is not just the players responsibility to keep a positive mindset, the coaches are a guide for the team by helping them through the pressures and directing them throughout the season.

“If I do not have expectations, then it confuses them and it confuses me,” assistant coach Kanani Hiapo said. “In order to win you have to have everyone being able to communicate and being able to be a leader.”

Hiapo’s outlook shows that leadership and responsibility are important on and off the court, allowing players to develop life skills. She encourages her players by helping them get out of tough mental moments in games and allows them to understand what they are feeling.

She does this by teaching them coping skills to remind them that the emotions they are feeling are reasonable. She also gives them constructive feedback that will help the players break out of that mental state and regain focus. 

Accepting constructive feedback is also a key part of being a student athlete. The players have to learn to use feedback as a way to improve even if hearing it can be difficult.

“Sometimes it’s really hard,” outside hitter Lauryn Thomas said. “Keeping a positive attitude really helps with what goes on that day.”

Beyond wins and losses volleyball teaches lessons to players that can be used in everyday life. Their experiences reveal the challenges they face but manage to gain skills that can benefit them after the season ends.