North Texas Daily

Akshay Mirchandani / Staff Writer

For student-athletes, moving up from high school to college can be a challenge in time management and balancing responsibilities.

“It’s always tough, the transition,” head volleyball coach Andrew Palileo said. “It’s a full-time job for them and they have to get their priorities and plan accordingly.”

Freshman volleyball setter Amy Henard is in her second semester at UNT. Henard has been put in the position to play right away, a challenge while she adjusts to the academic side of college.

“There’s a lot of pressure being a setter. They want you to be perfect and that’s the hardest part,” Henard said. “But it’s challenging and I like a challenge.”

Henard said that trying to balance athletics and class has been a tough adjustment. However, there are tutors and resources available to athletes to help with that transition.

“We have our tutors that help us a lot,” Henard said. “Whenever I’m not on the court or not playing volleyball, I’m usually in the books or in class. It’s definitely time consuming but it’ll be worth it in the end.”

Rachel Holden, a freshman forward on the Mean Green soccer team, has also been called upon to contribute to her team right away. Holden has six goals in six games for the Mean Green soccer team and was named the Conference USA player of the week at the end of August.

“There’s a lot of pressure, but I also think it’s kind of motivating so that you keep working hard and you keep trying to get better so that you’re not stagnant,” Holden said. “You’re just keeping your work ethic.”

Holden is one of three freshmen on the soccer team and said that all three of them have been mentored by some of the older players. She and the other freshmen feel there is some pressure to carry on what they’ve been doing from this season into next.

“There’s definitely pressure because there’re so many really good seniors graduating next year,” Holden said. “We have to keep the same pace and keep the momentum going.”

Palileo said that he has noticed older players on the volleyball team act as mentors to Henard, helping her through the season.

“Sometimes young players tend to take off here and there during a play and they’ve done a good job of holding her accountable,” Palileo said.

But all the extra work is worth it in the end, Henard said.

“You’re a lot busier all the time, to manage the school work and the athletics at the same time,” Henard said. “But it’s a lot of fun. I think it’s a lot of fun playing at a higher level than high school.”