The Life of a Student-Athlete

2018 U.S. Figure Skating DREAM Program and Miami University Varsity Synchronized Skating Team Member, Lindsey Maynard 

It’s 5:30 AM and my alarm is ringing. Get up.

Somedays are harder than others. No matter what, we get up.

I start my day with a cup of coffee and oatmeal. I prepare myself for practice; I warm-up, stretch, foam roll, and tie my skates.

We start off with our team practice. Somedays, we focus on improving small sections and specific elements. Other days we work on our bigger sections of our programs and full runs.

After team practice, we skate on-ice cardio. We skate for 2 and half minutes focusing solely on power and speed. We finish the set of intervals by skating to a slower song focusing on our finish through our body positions. After each fast interval, we record our heartbeat and count how many laps we complete in those 2 and half minutes. We use this as a way to track our progress. Typically, we do 6 sets of intervals. It is exhausting, but it’s rewarding! I make sure that I cool down or recover so I’m not too sore the next day. We have an awesome facility at Goggin Ice Center; our training room has so many supplies and resources. I love getting in the cold tub to help prevent soreness so I can recover from tough practices faster.

I usually always have an early morning class, so preparation is key. When I leave for practice at 6:00 AM, I don’t return until my day is done. I pack my clothes for class, snacks for the day, and clothes for our afternoon work-out.

I am double majoring in kinesiology and public health as well as pre-medical studies. Balancing skating and school is a difficult task, but it’s doable! Time management is key. School work takes up a large portion of my day; I typically spend around 6 hours a day doing homework or studying outside of class time. 6 hours seems like a lot, but the time is spread out throughout my day.

Everyday, I plan out the school work and studying I need to accomplish for the day, as well as any other extra tasks I may have. I create a “to do list” for each day that way I can stop on top of my homework and keep organized! It feels great to check off a task from my list!

I use every opportunity I can to get in time to do homework or to study! I’m the person who walks around campus with flashcards in their hands to try to get 15-20 extra minutes of study time before a big exam. If I have a break in between my classes, I use this time to try to accomplish something in my list of things I need to do for the day. The task may be as small as emailing a professor about a homework question, but it helps to reduce my stress and ensure that I am not overwhelmed by my “to do list”.

My classes and practice are typically finished around 6 pm each day. I go home, eat dinner, shower, and head to the library. On certain nights, there is free tutoring for athletes in subjects like math, chemistry, statistics, physics, etc. at Miami. I most definitely take advantage of that perk of being a student-athlete!

The best part about studying at the library is knowing that you can always find a “skater table”. Meaning, there is always at least one other skater at the library that you can sit with. It is great to be surrounded by your teammates when you need a break from your work!

I typically try to get 6-7 hours of sleep every night. This definitely doesn’t happen every night! I try my best, but sometimes I am up finishing homework or studying later than I would want to be. Those next mornings are always the hardest. But the best part is knowing that my teammates are in the exact same position!

Being a student-athlete is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. There are days when I am exhausted and drained, and I wonder if I can really wake up and do it all over again. But there is never one day that goes by where I am not thankful and so incredibly honored for this opportunity. Being a student-athlete has changed me; it has given me so many skills that I will use for the rest of my life. Representing Miami University when I step on the ice is a dream come true. Whenever I question if it’s all worth it, I remember that feeling when I hear, “representing Miami University…”; I think back to myself at 9 years old dreaming of skating for Miami. I picture myself getting my degree in just one short year. And I know that every difficult morning, late night, hard practice, and huge exam was worth it. Being a student-athlete has been the most difficult, rewarding, and best years of my life so far. I am forever thankful to Miami University and the legacy of Miami Skating for allowing me to live out my dreams.

Best of luck to everyone at Sectionals and congratulations to those who have already competed! Good luck to Team USA in the upcoming international competitions. Looking forward to seeing you all at Nationals in Portland!

Keep Dreamin’

Lindsey