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Maintaining a minimum of a 2.0 GPA is one of the requirements to play a college sport, however some student athletes find sports to be the push needed to excel above the minimum.

Softball player Alexandra Oddenino holds a 3.5 GPA and while she says it requires a lot of self-discipline to maintain, her coach pushes them the extra step.

“Our coach has us turn in progress reports to her throughout the year to make sure we’re keeping on top of our classes,” said Oddenino through an email.

 “That gives me the extra push to go to class since I know there will be consequences in practice and play time during games if she finds out we haven’t been going to class.”

Baseball coach Evan O’Meara also says he encourages his players to do as well in class as they do on the field.

“On the very first day I say to them ‘this is college baseball, not baseball college’ and I tell them to learn to balance the love of the game with the loath of the classroom” said O’Meara.

Student Ilene Suleymayan, kinesiology, admits she does well in school to be able to play softball.

“If I wasn’t playing I don’t think I would take school as seriously as I am, and it would take me a lot longer to transfer,” she said.

“The athletic zone is very helpful, they have tutors who help us with anything we’re struggling on,” added Suleymayan.

While student athletes receive the extra support needed from the athletic zone and coaches and tutors, cross-country runner Cassandra Lew, kinesiology, says that the right mentality is also required.

“Playing sports gives you a routine and makes academics easy to manage if you work with them together,” she said.

“The way you do in sports you will do in the classroom; I’m very competitive when I race, and I look at it the same way in the classroom, but a lot of students have the wrong mindset and only want to do sports, and don’t understand that school is for an education,” said Lew.

Cross-country coach Armand Crespo says Lew’s right mindset is what helps her excel academically and athletically.

“[Lew] is dedicated all around, never misses practice and is getting out [of PCC] in exactly six semesters, she has great time management and I’m not surprised that her grades are good,” said Crespo.

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