Balancing Academics and Sports

The general idea is that students can’t excel in two things at the same time because according to parents, they won’t be able to ‘keep it up’. As a result, children are told that they should stick to one thing, otherwise they will not finish what they have started.

In the lower primary stage, however, more and more pupils are being encouraged to engage in extra-curricular activities such as sports for the sake of health or entertainment reasons. Unfortunately, as they grow up, school work is neglected and below average marks end up in the end of the year school reports, so they’re given an ultimatum: it’s either one or the other. But some pupils take on the two and get to excel at both at school and sports. The YouthPaper caught up with two young soccer players who are doing it both on the pitch and in the library.

Ronald started netting the ball in 1994 in the streets of Okakarara where he also played for the u/12 and u/14 at Okakarara Primary School. After high school, the defensive midfielder played for the University of Namibia’s second division and eventually helped promote it to the first division in 2008. This achievement saw him getting promoted into the national team. At the same time, Ronald was a law student at the university. The talented Ronald later got signed-up by African Stars as from 2009 to 2010 were they won the league and the Leo NFA Cup.

Upon graduating with his B Juris at Unam in 2011, he got an offer to study at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, where he continued with his LLB. At the moment, Ronald is a law student and a professional footballer for the University of Pretoria and also plays at home for the Brave Warriors.

Ronald admits that it is not an easy one balancing both school and soccer but it is doable. “It is not easy to cope with both but it is all a matter of commitment, discipline and hard work but most importantly, time management and knowing where you want to be in life,” he said.

Multi-tasking brings along the issue of decision-making as to when to abandon which and why. One is continuously faced with difficult choices to make and surely hopes things to turn out right. “The most difficult decision I had to make was that of leaving my studies midway for football. But I knew that eventually I was going to go back to continue where I left off. So I don’t regret anything.”

With determination as one of the key elements in his life, Ronald adds prioritising to his list. “The priority has always been and will always been my education. Football is a cruel and short career and as such I cannot make it a priority, although it pays my bills for now,” he said.

Ronald advises young talented stars and starlets, regardless of their sports code, to never give up. “It is always a matter of perseverance, commitment, hard work and discipline that will take you places. Talent itself is not always enough. Young people must get their priorities right. Education must be their number one priority and football or any other sport code or extra mural activity must come second. With education, your future is secured. With football, you might break a leg today and that will be the end,” advised Ronald

Asked about his future with regards to soccer, “I want to play until I’m 30 years old and then call it quits unless I get a European offer. Otherwise I will play soccer even after graduating,” concluded Ronald.

Lovisa is another successful starlet in the making who is both a Grade 12 pupil and a Brave Gladiator. Lovisa (19) joined JS Academy in 2009 as a midfielder. Because of her versatility on the pitch as she grew, she was later national team material and now plays for the Namibian national women’s team, the Brave Gladiators. Being a pupil and a player at the same time has not been a smooth journey for Lovisa, especially during Grade 10 and now when she is busy writing her external Grade 12 examinations at Tucsin. “Doing both at the same time can be difficult at times. There come times when you want to spend time with your family or friends but you just really do not get the time to do so. It is either you will be studying or be on training camps or playing games outside town,” said Lovisa.

She is however allowed by the training instructors to work on her school work at times when she is away from home. “When we are on training camps, because we train twice a day, I would at times miss the morning training sessions so that I study and only join the girls during the afternoon session,” said Lovisa. Besides the flexible training sessions, Lovisa is also encouraged to study by her coach. “My coach, knowing that she has pupils and students on the team, she also would give us time off to study and encourage us do good at our school work. Her first priority with us is our school,” Lovisa said.

As a young soccer player, it is even more difficult when involved in both soccer and school on the other side of priority. During her Grade 10 at Academia Secondary School, Lovisa took one of the difficult decisions just a few weeks before her external examination.

“I decided to join the team on a training camp to Germany knowing that I will be writing exams just upon my return. There, I had to take time in the evenings to study because I knew what awaited me. In the end I passed my Grade 10 with outstanding results,” said Lovisa.

Admitting that there may be many other young people who may be in Lovisa’s position, she advises them to be determined at all times. “It is obviously not always going to be easy thus you need to be determined and focus. It is easy when you know what you want in life rather than just running a blind race. However, it is doable when you are disciplined. But knowing about the world we live in today, it is better to have a qualification on the side as your security if things do not go right one day,” advised Lovisa.

The young Brave Gladiator aims to study Business Administration next year and become a businesswoman in the near future.