Time management seems to be the way to juggle academics and sports for the athletes at Missouri Southern.

Sarah Wallace, sophomore secondary education major, said juggling sports and academics is difficult but it all boils down to time management.

Wallace is on the cross country and track and field teams. She is also in the honors program and is taking 17 hours this semester.

“If I have something due for a particular class, I will get that done first, and it leaves time for other things, ” Wallace said. “Don’t procrastinate, just get it done.”

“I approach school like a job, you’ve got to work from 8 to 4,” she said.

Amy Barnicle, sophomore secondary education, plays volleyball at Missouri Southern and is also in the honors program.

Barnicle said she uses sports as a way to clear her mind.

“I do well in school because I have sports to lean on,” Barnicle said.

She said the hardest thing about being involved in sports and going to school is when the team has to travel.

“Missing class and doing work on the bus has to be the hardest thing to do,” Barnicle said.

Wallace agreed that the doing work on the bus can be a little difficult.

“It seems as though we are in school all week and then we have meets on the weekend,” Wallace said.

Wallace said that although times get rough she still enjoys being apart of a team.

Keith Wyatt, sophomore general business major, said the football team is required to go to study hall on a regular basis.

“I do most of my homework during study hall, which is from 7 to 9,” Wyatt said.

Nic Proctor, senior general business major, enjoys playing football at Southern but said it is very time consuming.

“If you don’t have your priorities in order and your time managed, you [go wrong],” Proctor said. For me, I have to stay organized and get everything done before it is due.

Caleb Engelken, senior computer information science major said to do well in both sports and academics you have to have a good balance.

Engelken is one of Missouri Southern’s basketball players. He said he enjoys the game but it is very time consuming.

“Although the game is time consuming, I realize that I could be at a convenience store making five dollars an hour,” Engelken said. “But instead I’m at Southern getting school paid for because of something I love to do.”

Wyatt said that if it were not for football he would not be in school.

“Sports keeps me motivated to make good grades and to stay in school,” Wyatt said.

Wyatt said the coaches always stress to them the importance of making good grades and then playing sports.

“Man, I love this game,” he said.