Soccer ‘takes up more than just time’ for players

Alejandro Solana // Staff Writer

The season consists of back-to-back games almost every week for the FIU men’s soccer team, and most of the players are only balancing academics and filling the net with a soccer ball.

Often times, college athletes are criticized for allowing academics to play second fiddle to their respective sport. This is even more prevalent when the athlete on scholarship is working, allowing less time for their studies.

“It all depends. If you need to have an income, then you figure out a way to work and make money,” former midfielder Patrick Lopez told Student Media.

Lopez was a part of the 2015 conference championship team, and scored the game-winning goal in the title game. He didn’t work during the season while he was at FIU, but he doesn’t believe it’s impossible to balance all three.

“During the fall season it can be tough, so we much rather just focus on our already heavy loads of academics and the life of a collegiate athlete,” Lopez said.

Some students have probably experienced the panic of realizing an assignment is due on Blackboard by 11:59 p.m. They might also know the stress of being assigned several books by their professor to read in order to be successful in the class.

Now, imagine adding 15-20 hours of practice a week and a minimum of 16 regular season games from September to November. It’s becoming harder to imagine how student athletes can successfully add a part-time job on top of it all.

According to a report by Inside Higher Ed, “On average, football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball and baseball players in Division I spend about 40 hours a week on athletic activities. In 2010, no sport in any division had an average lower than 28 hours.”

However, there are players from the soccer team who believe it’s achievable.

“With school and soccer in the fall, it’s already tough,” said senior forward Luis Betancur. “But  some people do it, and I think it’s definitely doable. With my schedule this semester, I think I would be able to.”

Betancur believes he would find the time to balance all three, but that’s not the case for redshirt-freshman Andrew Booth, and senior Juan Benedetty. The two don’t think they would be able to work, while still maintaining their top form for the team and keeping their grades up.

“Personally, I don’t think I would work in fall,” Booth said.

The midfielder from Tamarac said he worked over the summer, but in the fall semester, he just picked two out of the three to focus on.  

Benedetty, who plays left-back for FIU, agrees with Booth, doubting he would have the time to add a job to his rigorous schedule.

“Soccer takes up more than just time, but energy as well,” Benedetty said. “I like to use my free time to rest and do anything I can do to take care of myself and prepare for the games.”

Head coach Scott Calabrese acknowledges how hard it can be for his team to find the time to balance all three, but he also thinks it can be an important lesson for what awaits his players after college.

“Although it’s hard and difficult,” Calabrese said, “I believe it is a good life lesson, because I don’t think it changes. It gets even harder when you get older and have kids and a job. I think it’s a great life development opportunity for them that they have to do so many things at such a high level.”

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