To be a student-athlete means more than just showing up for practices and games; it requires discipline, sacrifice, and strong time-management skills, something both Portsmouth High School seniors, Anthony Ferola and Sienna Metcalf, have learned throughout their high school careers. 

Anthony Ferola is on the Boys varsity basketball team, and a typical in-season day starts early and ends late. He wakes up, goes to school, and heads right to practice after classes. 

On most days, he adds an extra lift session into his schedule either on his own or with his strength trainer. Once he’s done, he heads home to eat and to rest before he does it all again the next day. 

During the offseason, Anthony stays committed, focusing on his strength training by following programs from his trainer, tracking his food intake, and, of course, playing basketball every day to stay ready.

For Ferola, balancing school and sports hasn’t been the easiest, but he has developed a system that works for him. In school, he tries to complete as much schoolwork as he can during the school day, so he doesn’t have as much homework at night. 

On days he has late games or has to travel, he stays up late to finish any assignments that are due the next day. He says the hardest part of being a student athlete is time management, but over the four years of high school, he has handled it much better.

 “I’ve found a better balance so every aspect of my life gets the right amount of energy,” said Ferola. 

When pressure rises, he leans on his parents for support and also prays before every game. One of the biggest sacrifices he’s made as a student athlete is missing time with his friends during the school week.

Sienna Metcalf’s days are just as demanding. After school, she heads to track or hockey practice, depending on the season, then spends hours each night completing honors and dual enrollment homework. Her offseason doesn’t slow down either, as academics remain a major focus along with athletics. 

Like Ferola, Metcalf says time management is the most important aspect to balance everything going on in her life. Late games and travel often mean doing homework wherever she can, whether it’s on the bus rides to games, during free time, or late at night after practices. She says the hardest part of being a student athlete is not having enough time to do what she wants. Sports take up much of her social life, as most of her friends are teammates. When stress hits, she talks things out with her friends and parents.

Looking back to freshman year, Metcalf says her time management has improved tremendously. 

“At first, I thought it would be very easy, and I wouldn’t have to change anything, but that changed fast once I started to enroll in honors and dual enrollment classes. I realized I would need to make a schedule that would help me be efficient and have time to enjoy high school,” said Metcalf. 

Metcalf makes sure she uses any free time during the day to stay ahead of her work. Like Ferola, she’s had to sacrifice hanging out with friends, but believes it’s worth it.

Teachers and coaches see how hard both athletes work every day. 

“She just completed her capstone presentation, devoted her time to perfecting croissants, and her dedication and creativity were admirable,” said Metcalf’s English teacher, Lisa McAllister. “The croissants were delicious.”

“Anthony is one of the hardest-working players I’ve coached. It doesn’t matter if it’s practice or games, he brings effort and intensity every single day and is always looking to improve. He built himself into a college basketball player through his desire, toughness, and love of the game,” said Boys varsity basketball coach John Mulvey.

Both athletes share similar advice for younger student athletes: stay focused on school and enjoy every moment. High school goes by very fast, and learning how to manage time early on will make a big difference in your success on and off the field.