Balancing Academics and Athletics: How Online Education Helps You Excel at Both

Practising a sport has many benefits, whether we are talking about high school students, parents, or elderly people. Did you know that sports can prevent health diseases such as diabetes, can help control blood sugar, get rid of stress and lots more?

So, given that we’ve established the fact that sports are good for us, we can easily arrive at the conclusion that we’re doing everything in our power to ensure that young generations are loving and excelling at sports. Right?

Why is Balancing Academics and Athletics Important?

Studies from the National Alliance for Youth Sports – a non-profit organisation providing various programs and services for everyone involved in youth sports – have found that around 70% of young generations give up sports by the time they reach high school.

Once these students quit sports, they might be seen as lazy, disorganised, unambitious, or not good enough at sports by their peers, family, coaches, etc. When in reality, there are lots of other things that teenagers can consider when quitting sports.

Wondering what might determine a young person to quit sports?

Think of injuries, competition anxiety, the pressure to succeed, managing schoolwork, problems at home, or other scenarios that life can throw at us. These can all lead to mental health problems such as anxiety, depression, eating disorders, and other behavioural and emotional disorders.

All of these scenarios and more may contribute to an athlete quitting sports out of fear of being unable to balance it all.

So, how can we make it easier for young athletes to stay in the game?

As part of the educational landscape, the folks at Spark Hybrid High School thought about some solutions that might solve your issue if you are dealing with anything of what we described above.

Here’s how:

1. Flexible Schedules for Training and Competitions
   At Spark, they understand the demands that student-athletes face. That’s why their online education platform empowers students to craft flexible schedules seamlessly integrating their sports needs or personal lives.

   Take Asztrid, for example, a dedicated volleyball player who has training in the afternoons.
   With Spark’s flexible learning model, she can tackle her coursework during her peak focus hours, ensuring she gets some social time with her friends. This learning model supports her in not missing any of her games or practices.

   “I love to practice sports, and my two favourite sports I love playing and stuck by them are horse riding and volleyball. As education is also very important as well as sports, you have to find a balance, and Spark gives you the opportunity to balance the things you like while also doing school.” – Asztrid Sz., Year 11 at Spark

   

2. Personalised Learning Plans
   Personalised Learning Plans are a must for athletes who do not want to feel the burden of unnecessary courses.
   Of course, from an educational standpoint, no course is unnecessary, and each has something valuable to teach us. But that knowledge might not be relevant to everyone’s future career path.

   At Spark, young students and athletes can choose the subjects they would like to study, thanks to the flexibility of the Cambridge International Curriculum. Not only that, but they can also choose when they want to study, and they can go through the curriculum at their own pace.

   This allows them to focus on the area they want to or need to focus on for a specific timeframe, for example, if they had to travel 2 weeks for a sports tournament and they were not able to take part in classes.

3. Reduced Travel Time and Fatigue
   Gone are the days of enduring long commutes to traditional schools. With Spark’s online education, students can say goodbye to the hours spent in transit.
   The time they get back from this is an actual game-changer. It means more hours on the field, more restful nights, and a rejuvenated body and mind for peak performance.

   Orlando, the First Graduate at Spark, confessed that long commutes were one of his biggest pain points in high school.
   He mentioned that he was losing precious time commuting while spending the rest of his free time doing coursework, leaving little to no time for socialising and other activities.

4. Seamless Integration of Technology for Enhanced Learning
   At Spark Hybrid High School, technology isn’t just a tool – it’s an ally. Their digital learning platform, virtual assemblies, tutoring sessions and collaborative spaces ensure that learning is engaging and effective.

   With easy access to resources, the students can delve deep into subjects that ignite their passions, all while leveraging the power of tech for a richer educational experience.
   The Courses are built on an Engage-Learn-Practice-Master approach, and with this approach, they’re ensuring that the students are not only learning by reading from a screen but also applying what they learn and taking it out into the world.

5. Supportive Community and Mentorship
   At Spark, they believe in the strength of the community. Equipped with inspiring expert tutors and in continuous development of landing partnerships with sports clubs, they are ensuring that young athletes have that feeling of belonging.

   They want to make Spark a home for young athletes and provide them with opportunities to succeed in their careers – while not asking them to give up on their dreams.
   Take Tashi’s example. He’s not a sports person, but he is a maths enthusiast. He found his person at Spark. Miss Iulia Bratfalean-Igna , a spectacular maths teacher. This is what Tashi’s father said about his journey since joining Spark:

   “Within two months, Tashi will have completed his first year at Spark, and we can say that this school is what we ever dreamed of for him. Tashi flourished in many aspects, and we, as parents, are thrilled with his progress and the space he has for cultivating his own interests… In his journey to performance, Tashi has been greatly supported by the Spark team with many things that were beyond our reach, with a special mention to Miss Iulia, the academic director and mathematics tutor, who put a lot of effort into this.

Ignite Your Journey to Success with Spark School’s Hybrid Learning

As we’ve explored the benefits of balancing academics and athletics in the realm of online education, it’s clear that Spark School provides a transformative experience for student-athletes.
By embracing the power of technology, they’ve created an educational environment that empowers young athletes to excel both in the classroom and on the field.

If you are an athlete who’s passionate about winning, consider joining Spark. Contact their Admissions team today and inquire about ways in which they could help improve your performance, on and off the field. ⚽