IU earns marks in the classroom

The NCAA coined the term "student-athlete" for college students who participated in varsity athletics to emphasize the point that they should be students first and athletes second. While this may not always be the case in other sports or at other schools, several of the IU women's soccer team members have received recognition for their work in the classroom. \nLast year, senior defender Carly Everett was named to the Verizon Academic All-Region team. Everett and senior defender Erin Hesselbach also earned Academic All Big Ten honors, along with senior goalkeeper Shaunna Daugherty, junior midfielder Kim Grodek, senior forward Shelly Gruszka, and senior midfielder Emily Hotz. Gruszka, Daugherty, Hesselbach and Hotz also earned Academic All Big Ten in 2001. Everett said student-athletes need to make sacrifices in order to keep up their studies.\n"It's important to remember that the athletes at this University are called 'student-athletes,'" Everett said. "Although I put soccer at the top of my list of priorities, academics is even higher on the list. I know I have to focus on the fact that my academic accomplishments will help me to find a career in the future."\nIU coach Mick Lyon is adamant that the team maintains good grades. After practices, he always reminds the team to study hard, and he always makes sure the freshmen remember to attend study tables. Each freshman must participate in study tables for a set amount of hours each week until they earn a certain GPA. Senior defender Erin Hesselbach said managing time can be difficult for student-athletes.\n"With the amount of hours spent with soccer, like traveling, and watching game films, it can difficult to maintain good grades," Hesselbach said. "Time management is difficult being a student-athlete. I try to focus on keeping a good GPA, and I try to get A's and B's in all my classes."\nEverett said it is sometimes difficult to balance the responsibilities and challenges of soccer with academics.\n"To stay on top of my schedule, I try to plan way ahead for things. Many athletes make sacrifices, mostly social, so they can find a way to succeed in their sport and in school," she said.\nThe team sometimes travels far distances for road games. Some of their longer trips include Boca Raton, Fla., Minneapolis, and Iowa City, Iowa. Even on road trips, the coaches make sure the team keeps up its grades by assigning designated study time. Sophomore forward Robin Barker said time management is a difficult part of being a student-athlete.\n"Time management is a big deal because sometimes we have class starting at 8 in the morning that go until practice," she said. "The coaches really stress our academics."\n-- Contact staff writer Cory Steger at csteger@indiana.edu.