Instructors can help improve academic performance in the clutch

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Freshman baseball player, Ryan Miles, at the team’s study hall. Photo by Eleya Raim.

by Jordan Tanner – Horizon Columnist 

As an athlete at Hesston College this has happened to me on more than one occasion. The decision to either sleep or cram in work results in either poorly finished papers, or hours of restless sleep, knowing that an assignment has been left undone.

In order to avoid the dilemma of choosing between sleep and work, Instructors should have designated hours in the access lab for athletes to complete unfinished assignments after game days.

For example, from either 4-6. pm. or 6-8 p.m. in the access lab, depending on practice times, instructors would provide additional time for those students who’ve had an away game or function the previous night. Students will then be able to sign up and complete work that may be unfinished.

This solution will help increase the quality of work by athletes as well as enhance their ability to perform on the court/field and classroom, seeing that they’d get more sleep and be rejuvenated and ready to take on each day here at Hesston.

Approximately 40 percent of the students on Hesston’s campus are athletes who will travel multiple hours to face competition. Students who participate in other extracurricular activities besides athletics, require time spent traveling as well, so the late night struggle after an away game or function is all too common on campus.

As students we have the responsibility of getting enough rest for our bodies, as well as the responsibility of completing all coursework to the best of our abilities. These additional hours in access, that do not take away from class time, but instead give time outside of class, add an extra accountability piece, which would prove to be in the best interest of both students and instructors.

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Baseball players Nick Mitchell, Hayden Pentecost, and AJ Chalupka have some fun while they study. Photo by Eleya Raim.

Some may suggest that work be done while on the road, to and from the games. But in an academic atmosphere such as Hesston’s, a van is not proven to be the most beneficial space to do the coursework justice.

However, with the additional hours placed in the access lab, students would be in an environment meant to take on Hesston’s workload in a more suitable manner. Not to mention the ease of access to outlets for learning and support, such as the writing assistants, who regularly have hours in the access lab.

Playing sports in Region VI where the distance between region opponents is two hours and 45 minutes away on average, time to complete work on the days of away games is very scarce. However, with the addition of hours in an academic environment as that of the access lab, quality of work as well as quality of sleep on those nights will improve. 

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