Student-athletes are being trained for life every single day. Baseball doesn’t just teach me how to compete; it shows me how to live and persevere for a purpose.
By the time the afternoon rolls around, non-student athletes are heading to socialize with friends or unwind for the day. For student-athletes, their days are often just beginning. Morning lift, shower in the locker room, go to class, get something to eat, practice till dusk, finish up schoolwork, and repeat. It’s a challenging but an experience that will change your life for the better.
According to “The Student-Athlete Experience and Its Impact on Their Career Development,” student-athletes face the burden of having to negotiate between their academic, athletic and social obligations and expectations while representing the university, a pressure that non-athlete students rarely experience. Carodine, Almond, and Gratto, all of whom are referenced in Henderson’s paper, discussed the pressures that student-athletes experience regarding performing to their full potential on and off the field and fulfilling their numerous athletic obligations.
As a student-athlete myself, I have learned important life skills such as responsibility, time management, discipline and, what I believe to be the most valuable, work ethic. I have played baseball since I was four years old, as well as played basketball in high school. I don’t know what my life would look like if I weren’t an athlete.
As a baseball player, it is typical to start off playing club, little league and tournaments all over the country. In high school, there are select teams for athletes to potentially be a part of. In college, there is the main season, but it is also common that players go somewhere to play summer ball against other collegiate athletes from a variety of different schools.
I went to Fairbanks, Alaska, for summer ball after my first year in college. I did not know anyone when I arrived, but having baseball in common with everyone, coupled with the relationship skills from my experience as a student-athlete, helped me make lasting friendships even in an unfamiliar, scary place.
“[Being a student-athlete] has taught me discipline and consistency,” said Matt Verkamp, a junior captain basketball player at California Lutheran University. “Still putting in the work even when you are tired or don’t want to go a very long way in basketball and in life. If you put in the work every day, you will eventually get to where you want to go.”
Mia Antonino, a Cal Lutheran softball alumna who graduated in 2025, said she had similar sentiments about playing a sport while in school.
“[Being a student athlete] taught me to stay organized and manage my time even when things seem crazy, as well as performing well under the pressure.”
Not only do former athletes understand the significance of being a student-athlete, but coaches have the unique experience of witnessing athletes develop over time, both athletically and as a person.
Ryan Moore is a former head basketball coach at Moorpark High School and Chaminade College Preparatory High School, former Division 1 assistant coach at the University of San Francisco, as well as current high school assistant coach at Crespi Carmelite High School in Encino, California. He described lessons one can learn by being a student-athlete which are often translated into the workforce.
“[Athletes have] discipline, accountability, hard work, ability to adapt, and working towards a common goal,” Moore said in a phone interview.
Moore also said while the common goal is to win, players also learn how to overcome adversity, which is what makes student-athletes unique.
Verkamp, who wants to be a financial advisor post-grad, and Antonino, a current restaurant server, said being a student-athlete prepares player for their future careers.
“Being a student-athlete taught me the importance of communication and support,” Antonio said.
Being a student-athlete prepares one for roles in the workforce, accountability, and the long days that players are more accustomed to as a student-athlete, Moore said. He said if one does not like their role on the field, court, or workplace, then an individual must work harder and grind without complaining. He mentioned how important those lessons are and how student-athletes have the upper hand when it comes to that understanding.
“The workplace is competitive, but being a student-athlete is special,” Moore said.
Relationships and the connections players make on the field can be life-altering. Who one person knows and a player’s ability to get along with people can determine major future outcomes. Antonino said she feels her relationship building was a lot easier because of being a student-athlete.
“As a coach, you coach everyone fairly but not the same,” Moore said.
A lot of that can be true in the workplace. You may have to deal with some people differently than others, and being around a group of new people year in and year out gives you a frame of reference for what that is like.
Verkamp said that the people he has met being a student-athlete have allowed him to be a part of something that is bigger than himself.
“It’s allowed me to meet and build so many relationships that will last a lifetime within the basketball program and here at Cal Lutheran,” Verkamp said.
Student-athletes endure early mornings, late nights, juggle schoolwork and conflicting schedules and face pressure to perform in class and in their sport. At the same time, they are growing as a person, staying accountable and self-motivated. Being a student-athlete created a foundation of discipline and responsibility that shapes me into the person I will be for the rest of my life.
