Balancing Act

By William Newton
June 6, 2022

Beginning with the formation of the athletics committee in 1927, JBU athletics emerged in the 1950s and has grown throughout the years. JBU initially competed in the HCCA conference and then eventually moved to the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, where the Golden Eagles competed in basketball, baseball, swimming, tennis, golf, track & field, cross country, and soccer along the way.

The integration of sports on a college campus produces student-athletes, a category of students who attend JBU to receive their higher education and to participate in their chosen athletic fields. During their time in their respective sports, student-athletes at JBU say they have grown to be better leaders, athletes, and students, applying the discipline they learn during practices and competition to all other areas of life.

In fact, over the last decade, student-athletes at JBU have carried an average GPA that is equivalent to non-student-athletes, as they must maintain proficient grade point averages to be eligible to play. Because of their demanding schedules, student-athletes must be strategic and efficient in how they spend the free time available to them. Given the rigorous schedules of team sports, balancing their course loads and their athletic engagements can be very challenging.

“It’s almost like you’re an athlete-student not a student-athlete, because so much focus goes into practice, making sure you get enough extra shots, making sure you know the scout and the players [on the team you’re competing against],” said Ira Perrier, senior psychology major and basketball player. “It can be really hard to find that balance.”

While the struggle to balance can be difficult for students, it can also positively affect how they approach their schedules.

“Going to tennis practice actually helps me balance my life more because when I am able to go out on the court, be active and have fun with the guys, I am able to focus better on my schoolwork after the fact than if I had attempted to study on my schoolwork for two hours,” said Woody Woodring, senior finance and accounting major and men’s tennis captain.

Along with helping athletes grow in academics, it also provides a resource for bonding and friendship. “Coming into JBU, I was able to have my built-in friends,” said Olivia McCafferty, senior general business major and cheerleader, referring to her teammates. “If I did not have athletics, I would not have my best friends that I have now.”

Noah Taylor, sophomore finance major and basketball player, says basketball allowed him to make deep connections with other students quickly. “The best advantage of being a student-athlete at JBU is the brotherhood of the team. When you first arrive on campus, you have 15 other friends that, from the start, act like brothers and are always there for you,” he said.

Unlike many colleges and universities that restrict student-athletes from majoring in degrees that take more time away from athletics, the department of athletics at JBU allows students to participate in their study of choice.

“JBU was the only school that I was looking at that said I could do music and tennis at the same time, so that was exciting, because otherwise, I was going to have to drop tennis and only focus on music in college,” said Abigail Woodring, junior music education major and tennis player.

Lauren Cloud, senior nursing major and volleyball player, had the same experience. “I chose JBU over the other schools I had offers from because the athletic department worked closely with the nursing department to ensure student-athletes could get a nursing degree,” said Cloud. “This was not common at the other schools I visited.”

Along with the support of the university, many student-athletes receive mentorship from their coaches, which has had a lasting impact on their success in both their athletics and their academics.

“It’s almost like you get to have a role model or a father figure that you didn’t have to go looking for,” said Perrier.

For others, their coach is a symbol of leadership and challenges them to grow off the field as well. “[Coach Kathleen Paulsen] pushes me toward Christ and challenges me every day to step into a leadership role and use my voice to impact others,” said Aniyah Gibbs, sophomore kinesiology major and soccer player. “I believe the team culture she has created at JBU will be something I carry into my life even after I graduate.”

Many student-athletes see their athletic performance as synonymous with their approach to academics. “The same mindset I take to a tennis match is the same mindset I take into a test, like ‘I am going to beat this person or this test,’” joked Woody Woodring. “Even though at a tennis match it’s like this person is actively aspiring against me. I know that my professors aren’t trying to beat me — they are trying to prepare me and equip me — but I get into this mentality that it is me versus this test, and I am going to win.”

JBU athletes also credit their extensive schedules with teaching them discipline in non-academic areas of life, carrying over into their professions, like Cloud’s future nursing career. “Being an athlete has helped me grow into a leader,” said Cloud. “I have grown more confident in being a leader, but I have also grown in my ability to see different points of view.”

Allika Pearson, senior kinesiology major and cross-country and track & field runner, said her four years as a student-athlete helped her grow academically, socially, and spiritually.

“To put it bluntly, if I was not an athlete, I think I would be much less joyful and more irritable. I’d have a smaller friend group, I would not perform as well in class, etc.,” said Pearson. “My team has built me up and shaped me in ways I could not have done through other means, and I’m incredibly thankful for that.”

Being a student-athlete at the collegiate level is challenging and requires self-discipline and time management, and student-athletes at JBU say it’s worth the work to become better leaders, athletes, and students through their experiences.

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