College Admissions 101 - Balancing School and Sport
We asked our 2024 Summer Interns to give advice on a variety of topics for student-athletes entering the college admission process. Next up, we asked Bryan Kane to discuss balancing school and sport.
Q: What school do you go to?
BK: Western New England University
Q: Why did you choose your school?
BK: I picked Western New England because of the great sports management program, along with being able to play football.
Q: What factors influenced your decision?
BK: Some of the factors that influenced my decision were the family aspect of the football team. When I went to visit it felt like a place where I would enjoy being every day. I also went to a very small high school so I wanted to transition into a smaller college because I felt like that would be easier for me. The coaches at Western New England also made me feel like that was a place that I was going to excel academically and athletically which was ultimately what I wanted to do.
Q: When choosing classes, how does the practice/game schedule affect your choices?
BK: When I’m choosing classes my practice schedule has rarely affected my choices. We have set practice times every day of the week and they normally don't change. It allows the athletes to pick their schedule around practice very easily. If there is a class conflict it is never an issue to take that class. Our coaches want it to succeed outside of football as much as they do inside of football. There may be times when a class interferes with meetings which are out of our control. If that happens you have to take responsibility and have a meeting in the morning with your coach to make sure you have the playbook down and ready to go for the game on Saturday.
Q:What skills are important to balancing school and sport?
BK: The biggest skill you need to have to balance school and football is time management. Throughout the season there will be times where you feel like a lot of stuff is adding up and you don't know how you're going to finish all your work, but we have study hall every week of the season. Many times this is where I will finish all my homework for the week. That just allows me to not feel like I have an overwhelming amount of stuff to do on top of learning the plays that we are putting in. As a freshman, I had a reality check when it came to the workload of being a student athlete. But once you get into the swing of things and start to understand that when you have downtime, you should finish that paper, instead of laying down and taking a nap or playing xbox. Once you are able to find your way of finishing all your work and preparing for practice/games you will find that it isn't as hard as you think it is.
Q: What advice do you have for an incoming college student or someone going through the process of choosing?
BK: Some advice I have for incoming freshmen is that you need to trust the process. When I was freshman in college I just thought that was some of the seniors telling me that and I didn't really listen. Going into my senior year I wish I did listen to them because it would have saved me a lot of worrying and stress. When I was a freshman in college, I wasn't doing great in school and I was not playing. And every year I have progressed in school and football. Some things take time and it's a learning process when you get to college. I also didn't understand that I was going into college and playing football with grown men. I was a very small freshman who played every single snap of high school football. When I got to school I quickly realized I wasn't the top player anymore and for a lot of people that's hard to hear. I believe the best advice for an incoming freshman is that you need to trust the process.
For someone who is choosing a home for the next 4 years, in my opinion you need to choose a place where it feels like home and somewhere where you find yourself succeeding in whichever way you choose. I picked Western New England because I felt wanted. I felt like the professors that I met and the coaches wanted me there. You need to feel welcomed and wanted at the school you choose for the next 4 years.
Q: Now that you have been in school what are some things you wish you knew beforehand
BK: Now that I have been at school, one thing I wish I knew beforehand is that college really does go by as quick as people tell you. I wish I listened to everyone telling me that you're going to blink and it will be your senior year. College isn't about going out every night of the week, it's about making connections with kids you would've never met, it's about those little moments you have with your friends that you will never forget. It's about taking advantage of the little time you have with the same group of friends for 4 years.
About Bryan Kane
Bryan Kane was an Operations Intern for the 2024 Summer Games. Bryan is from Millis, MA and graduated from Millis High School in 2021. He is in his senior year at Western New England University where he is majoring in Sports Management, and he hopes to pursue a career in sports. This year, he plans to finish his degree and complete his final year as a safety for the Western New England Golden Bears.
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College Admissions 101 Previous Posts
October 2, 2024 - Going to School Far From Home
October 9, 2024 - Transferring After Your First Year
October 16, 2024 - Experiencing a Career Ending Injury
October 23, 2024 -
Not Playing Sports in College
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