Balancing varsity sports and school at Wayzata High School is a job that fills up students’ entire schedule. Students need to figure out how to best manage their time and work load for school while also gearing up for games and practices. Not to mention, try to have a social life and find time to spend time with friends and experience all the exciting things that come along with being a senior.
Wayzata prides itself on athletes who can score goals on the field while also scoring academically, so how do these student athletes do it all?
Wayzata athletes are not taught how to manage their time, it is something coaches and teachers expect them to learn. Most dual sport athletes at Wayzata are required to choose sports whose seasons don’t line up.
For example, 18 year old senior Hannah Brenke is a double varsity athlete, she plays basketball during the winter, then in the spring she runs varsity track and field.
Hannah is one example of many students who excel both in her chosen sports, but also her academics. As student athletes of the 2025-2026 sports season begin to gear up we want to know more about how they manage such a “go go go” lifestyle.
Wake up at 6am, go to school to lift weights with the team, go to class all day, practice from 3:30-6, get home, shower, 2 hours of homework, and finally go to bed. That is what a typical day can look like for Hannah. Hannah has little free time during her busy basketball season, she lives and breathes school and basketball during her winters at Wayzata.
When asked about her life as a dual sport athlete, she had a very positive outlook on the experience and how she chooses to manage her time. The first question I asked Hannah was what typical days look like for each sport.
“Basketball season is definitely a heavier load compared to my track season. I often go to school early during both seasons for lifts but more so for basketball. Basketball practices are more rigorous compared to track and often take more out of me”
Still she says that she wouldn’t have it any other way, and that her teams for both of her sports make it all feel worth it
Hannah also cares very deeply about her schooling and makes sure that her time is used well. “I make sure to manage my time wisely especially in school, so asking teachers for help while I’m here, getting homework done during class, and making it known if I need help”.
Hannah’s response is similar to senior athlete Tommy Colmonero who plays varsity hockey during the winter and varsity lacrosse during the spring. I asked Tommy the same question about time management and he said, “I really try to use my teachers as a resource during the season because practices after school everyday and games on the weekends take up a lot of my homework time”.
For Tommy, playing hockey made joining lacrosse his junior year a smooth transition as both sports have similarities in how they are played. “Both sports use similar skills so picking up lacrosse after playing hockey for my entire life was a big help”.
When asked if he had a favorite sport Tommy said, “it’s gotta be hockey just since I’ve been playing it all my life and gotten to grow with my teammates”.
Tommy really emphasized that his favorite part of being a Wayzata student athlete was the team aspect. Wayzata succeeds in creating a very welcoming team environment that builds lifelong friendships along with strong team bonds.
Varsity soccer athlete and dancer, Katie Anderson agrees with both Tommy and Hannah about Wayzata team dynamics. Katie however does notice a difference in the dynamics between soccer and dance. “Soccer has a more low key team vibe and everyone gets along very well because it’s a very team motivated sport. Dance is also team motivated but it’s a little more competitive as the season goes on”.
I asked Katie if she ever feels like the school load is overwhelming during her season as managing homework and sports can become stressful.
Katie said, “I definitely feel overwhelmed during dance season because I don’t get home until 6:45 and have other things to do before I’m even able to start on my school work. By the time I’m able to start homework it’s already dark outside”.
However, one theme that stuck out to me with the interviews was the statement that no matter the amount of homework or stress students felt with classes, they always found a way to get it done. Utilizing the amazing teachers at Wayzata is a great resource for students.
The teachers at Wayzata understand that being a dual sport athlete is a full time job for students, school work takes up a significant amount of time along with practices and games.
Still students find a way to manage their time wisely while also balancing a social life. Many students who participate in sports also like to support their fellow athletes by attending other sports games. It shows that the student athletes of Wayzata not only partake in their own activities but support the ones of others.
Katie, Hannah, and Tommy are just three examples of students at Wayzata who choose to partake in multiple sports at Wayzata. After concluding the interviews I found that many students have all felt overwhelmed before by the school load along with sports.
Learning how to balance this crazy life is something that all student athletes need to learn. However, the students’ passion for their chosen sports, and drive to excel in school makes it all worth the while.