Student Athletes: The Real Stars

Student athletes are often portrayed as no more than jocks in the media: they're in college to further their athletic career and do nothing with whatever degree they obtain. But, if you are or you know a student athlete, then you know this is far from the whole truth. Student athletes are the glue holding collegiate sports together, and for many of them, school is just as important as athletics.

Look at Jordan Chiles, for example: she is an Olympian who is now furthering her gymnastics career at University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). And the cherry on top? She's now a finalist for this season of Dancing with the Stars. She's doing all of this while balancing classes and assignments as she majors in sociology - talk about impressive!

Jordan Chiles during her UCLA floor routine in 2023 (Amelie Ionescu/Daily Bruin)

Chiles is an especially impressive example, but any student athlete manages a lot more than people and the media give them credit for. Many collegiate seasons are long and span most of any given school semester, and a great example for this demanding season is college hockey. The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) schedules games in the middle of the week all the time - there are three games on Wednesday, November 26 (the day before Thanksgiving!) Beyond all their assignments, events, and study sessions, these athletes also have to balance their own personal plans, such as traveling home to wherever they are from, into their busy schedule.

Being a college student is tough enough as it is, so with the added intensity of a collegiate sport, especially at a school that is Division I, it's not all perfect and fun times for them. Some schools do have adapted class schedules for their athletes, but even taking reduced courses, athletes are putting much more work in beyond showing up to the field or rink every game night. They obviously must maintain conditioning for their sport, as well as attend practice as frequently as their sport demands; time commitments which can add up quickly during the finals or midterm seasons.

Holy Cross Crusaders vs. Quinnipiac Bobcats on Oct. 21, 2025 (Rob Branning Photography)

Jenn Gardiner, who now plays in the Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) for the Vancouver Goldeneyes, is another example of what hockey players specifically must go through. In four years at Ohio State with the Buckeyes, Gardiner helped Ohio State win their first National Championship, consistently produced points for the team, scored the winning goal against Yale in the 2022 Frozen Four championship to advance the Buckeyes to that National Championship, all while being a student and having a full course load each semester. As if this wasn't impressive enough, Gardiner then went on to play as a graduate student, where she recorded 18 goals and 27 assists in 39 games. Time management is a crucial skill for just about everyone, but Gardiner and so many other college athletes balancing their intense sports schedule as well as their classes show just how valuable it truly is.

In general, college athletes balance and sacrifice a lot to be the best they can be, both in their sport and their personal life. They often get shortened breaks and less time with their families due to practice or game schedules, so while it is true that there are perks to being a student athlete, the societal perception that they have it easy is just wildly unfair to them. If you are or you know a college athlete, then you know they're some of the hardest workers out there. Of course, they're always going to want to perform in their sport, but academics are just as important to them too, which is an idea many media renditions of these athletes seem to conveniently ignore.

Edited by Caitlyn Wagner