At 6 a.m., the field lights are on but where are the players?  That’s the question that is coming across the Columbus School soccer field, where once-busy early morning practices are starting to feel a little empty. As the school’s sports program, POLI, faces new challenges after the pandemic, student-athletes are rethinking whether they can or should keep showing up.

Fewer students are participating in sports, and some teams don’t feel as full as they used to. Even with strong courts, tools and skilled athletes, early practices, heavy homework loads, and general burnout are pushing some players away. For some, the passion for sports is still strong.

“Yes, I think it has increased over time, especially in high school,” Arianna Niehaus from 10th grade, a soccer player at the Columbus School, said. “People are more engaged, and the coaches definitely make a difference.”

But others are noticing the shift, as POLI may be losing attendance, losing its best athletes. 

“I have noticed that each time less and less people enter the team,” Felipe Gallego, a 10th grade soccer player, said. “We train mostly at 6 a.m., so I think that could be a very big factor that makes people want to quit.”

The Pandemic Effect, COVID-19, changed how students trained and how they felt about sports. Some athletes stayed active through virtual training. Others struggled to keep up or lost motivation entirely and quit. 

“It really depends on the person,” Gallego said. “If the person kept practicing virtually, maybe they stayed good. But if not, you could get a lot worse.”

Niehaus agreed that long breaks can have a big impact. 

“When you stop doing something for so much, your body gets lazy,” she explained. “But once you start doing it again, it’ll come back to you. Discipline is key.”

Homework vs. Practice, Another major challenge is the struggle to balance sports with academics.

“Many times you need to do a lot of homework and stay up very late,” Gallego said. “Then you’re too tired to come to 6 a.m. practice.”

Niehaus added, “Time management is something we should learn. The school should encourage it and be more flexible with deadlines when we’re representing the school.”

While school policies ask athletes to manage their time, some students say it’s just too much without support. Data from team rosters or attendance—if available—could help show whether this pressure is truly shrinking participation.

Coaching, motivation, and tournaments. Despite the challenges, some younger players are stepping into leadership roles.

“I play with the older people and I have a good spot in the team,” Gallego said. “They respect me.”

Motivation still comes in the form of competition.

“What motivates most people to come is the tournaments,” Gallego said. “Like Copa Columbus and other inter-school events.”

But tournaments also come with their own stress. Students often miss class and have to make up homework, sometimes without enough time to do it.

“There needs to be more time and the teachers have to be more flexible,” Niehaus said. “We’re representing the school, and not everyone can do that. We need a full week to catch up excluding weekends.”

A coach’s perspective or insights from POLI’s coordinators could help explain what the school is already doing or could be doing better to support these athletes.

“Sometimes it’s hard for me to be able to catch up with all of the work that I have to do for example in classes that advance really fast, like AP Pre Calculus, It is hard to keep track of the topics, even with Andres’s help” Pablo Mejia, 10th Grade Student, who plays golf, said. 

Teachers try to help students who are struggling with schoolwork, but it is very difficult when they miss a big part of school time. 

“You have to sacrifice a lot of time for you to focus on your sport, and that makes a lot of people want to quit,” Mejia said.

Quitting is a very viable option for students who seem overwhelmed, but while the struggle is with them, they persist. 

Whether it’s early mornings, academic pressure, or lack of support, many athletes still want to play; they just need a system that supports them. With better scheduling, more flexibility, and stronger motivation, POLI could keep students showing up, not just for their teams, but for the love of the game.