When the bell rings, most students are gearing up for the next period, but for student-athletes, it can mean boarding a bus or a car for an away game. For athletes, JV or varsity, leaving early for an away game might seem like the dream. Depending on the location, 10-20 minutes of the seventh period are missed, and all of the eighth periods are missed.
Leaving school early for athletics is common during high school sports seasons, but it raises questions about the impact on academics, time management and overall student well-being. When missing school, students are told to notify their teacher and determine what they must catch up on to keep on schedule. Junior Megan Lomotan plays a sport in two out of the three seasons during the school year, so she is acquainted with leaving early for sports games. “If I’m going to be missing a test or quiz, then I make sure to tell the teacher beforehand and figure out when I can make it up,” Lomotan said.
Research shows that missing class time can affect students’ academic performance. According to a 2023 study by the Journal of School Athletics, student-athletes miss an average of 15% more class time than their non-athlete peers. A 2022 report by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) found that over 60% of student-athletes feel they lack adequate time to complete assignments after games.
From a teacher’s point of view, it can become a irritating; math teacher Catherine Ruback said this is particularly the case with underclassmen leaving early. “The younger ones sometimes have trouble managing their time and get behind. Older students are better at that. Generally, most of my student athletes are fairly responsible, and they stay on top of their school work,” Ruback said.
Academically, the missed periods, missing assignments, quizzes and important lessons start to add up, which can be problematic. Finding ways to overcome these issues can be difficult, especially if the student has a game every three days and practices every day, leaving no time for classwork. “Sometimes it’s hard if I miss notes for a hard class like calculus or physics, but I try to catch up on my own. I honestly think it helps my relationships with my teachers because it shows that I am responsible,” Lomotan said.
To mitigate the adverse academic impacts students face, solutions include teachers posting pre-recorded lessons or slide decks and designating times for makeup work specifically for athletes. Junior Tanner Cornet plays baseball in the spring, so he often leaves early from class and said making up work isn’t too hard. However, to mitigate the stress student-athletes face, “They should have specific tutors just for the people participating in athletics,” Cornet said.
