The hardships of being a student-athlete

NCAA has released recent graduation rates of student athletes with CU towards the bottom.

What would you love to do more than anything after an intense workout? How about a long study session?

Student-athletes work hard to balance their time between athletics and academics.

"For some, they identify mostly as an athlete coming from high school — so balancing academics can be tough," said Kris Livingston, director of Herbst Academic Center.

Inside the Dal Ward Athletic Center, the Herbst Academic Center houses the academic help for athletes — counselors, study rooms and tutors.

Here at CU, the most recent athletic graduation rate reached an all-time low at 44 percent. This number comes from athletes entering in 2002 given six years to graduate.

The athletic department attributes this low number to four coach changes in sports like football, basketball and golf.

"When I get home, homework is the last thing I want to do and sometimes I put it off," said Football Defensive End Tony Poremba.

Tony says that being a Division I athletes is like a full-time job with upwards of 40 hours of work a week.

Add that on top of the required full-time student course load, these student-athletes have a lot on their plate.

"It is all about time management. Also, you sometimes have to give up certain things that you want to do," said freshman soccer player Kelly Moore.

But with all the complications of being a student-athlete, many wouldn't choose otherwise. Kelly finds her experience to be worth it and considers her teammates family.