By J1 Reporter Aubrey Decher

Managing school and sports can be challenging, especially when the sport is in another state. Sophomore Caroline Schwab spent the club soccer season this year playing for a team in Kansas City more than three hours away from her home.

This commitment required two practices a week in Kansas and a practice at home in Nebraska. It also included games in other states like Florida, Illinois and Texas over the weekends.

 “I would leave right after school and do my homework on the way to KC, then on the way back I would sleep because we would get home around midnight,” Schwab said.

To help both of their families with the commitment of the driving time, Schwab and another friend who lives in Omaha took turns in a carpool being driven by their parents to get to practices and games. This opportunity also helped the girls to build closer relationships as friends and teammates. 

Missing a lot of school, it’s important for her to stay on top of assignments and communicate with her teachers about what she would miss. The use of a calendar is also important for her to keep track of where she needs to be and when she needs to be there.

“I would tell anyone with a busy schedule to make sure you manage your time well and make sure you also take care of yourself so you don’t get too overwhelmed,” Schwab said. 

The hardest part for her with having a crazy schedule was missing out on normal things her friends did such as having a job or going to school dances. 

“I’m definitely looking forward to the school soccer season because that’s when I get to hang out with my friends more and have more time to do things,” Schwab said. 

She recently made the varsity soccer team at Marian for her second year and is excited to have a lighter schedule to finish out the year before she does it all again next season. Schwab dreams of getting recruited to play soccer at a D1 college and avidly works on talking to coaches and programs to make this a possibility