While being a student-athlete is fun, being busy throughout the year can take a toll physically and mentally. The school year doesn’t stop because of how much you have to do after school and how exhausted you are at the end of the day. Senior, JD Robinson knows, first-hand, how hard and difficult this lifestyle is. While being busy with sports is already hard enough, the “student” in student-athlete comes first for a reason.  

    Making the most of his final year in high school, he is a member of the golf, hockey, and lacrosse teams. Playing a sport every season of the school year can definitely cause problems with overlapping practices and workouts, requiring excellent time management skills. 

   JD uses his free time smartly during the school day along with the little time he has at home. “I’d say I study and get homework done for around an hour per day. Whether it is during free sets at school or time at home before and after practices.” Some students who may not have sports or other activities outside of school are able to use their time after school but he has to plan out his free time for homework and spending time with friends or family around a crazy busy schedule. 

   JD continues to be a hard worker, even with how crazy his schedule is. His class schedule for school includes Journalism, Academic English 4, Tech Lab 2, AP Statistics, Phys Ed., Astronomy, and Global Studies. He is a great student and an even better person. JD is always respectful towards his peers and is the ultimate team player, even when he could be upset after a hard game or long day.

   He keeps on pushing the boundaries of his schedule while exceeding the expectations of his peers. But, this is a lifestyle that seems to really suit him. He stated, “I do really enjoy the busy lifestyle. I get to make lots of memories, such as bus rides with my friends after games, and with many different people on a day-to-day basis. It also allows me to keep in good physical shape. The hardest thing with being so busy is getting enough sleep, around 8 hours, but other than that I make the most of my time.” A busy lifestyle isn’t for everyone, but JD handles it like a champ to the extent that his lifestyle can and has gone unnoticed by his peers.

    JD has had so much going on for so long that he sometimes gets tired of the lifestyle Being tired can cause feelings that make someone lack motivation and want to quit. His youthfulness is really the thing that keeps him going. “Being young, I only have so much time to accomplish things. Playing all of these sports, I only have a couple of years to do it, so I need to make the most of it,” he says.  JD works a job that he enjoys compared to one that makes him miserable, which makes going to work something to look forward to while earning money. He works in order to pay for everyday expenses such as gas and going places with friends. “I work at Latrobe Elks Golf Course in the pro shop between 2-4 days a week….I normally have one day each week off from practice and work, usually a Monday or Thursday.” Only having one day off is hard enough already, but then he has to get caught up with all the work that he couldn’t finish during the week, leaving almost no time to relax.

After work, practice, and other happenings, JD still manages to stay on top of his life.

     He is a seasoned veteran when it comes to playing sports and dealing with life. Advice JD gives to those unsure whether to play a sport or not is to just go for it because you’re only in high school once. He regrets not playing lacrosse in 10th grade after choosing to work instead. 

   With a busy schedule, people need ways to release their stress and relax. Some people play video games, listen to music, or watch a movie. For JD, his biggest de-stressor is his dog, Milo. He loves to spend time playing and hanging out with his dog. Most importantly, Milo always knows how to make JD smile after a tough day.

  JD has proven over and over again how great his time management skills are. With being so busy during all of his sports seasons, work, and school, he still knows how to have fun and bring energy to the Greater Latrobe. He is a great example of a student who lives his life to the fullest and is an even better role model for his peers to look up to.