Kate Phelan, a junior at Rocklin High School is one of many athletes who is affected by the new change in school start times. As a varsity golf team athlete, she states, “I don’t have as much time to practice because I have to get home and do my school work. It’s also affecting my personal life because I have to do all my homework and everything is more chaotic.” Because of Rocklin’s new bell schedule, the girls’ golf practices are pushed back an hour later than what they used to be. Kate says, “I have way less time to study and I am staying up extremely late to get my assignments done. I don’t have any time to enjoy myself.”

Kate says the new schedule is affecting all athlete’s school and free time, as well as their quality of performance.

“Well, now because we get out of school so late, our practices have become much shorter. It doesn’t feel like we’re getting good quality practice in. It feels very rushed and everyone is scrambling around. In addition to that, some girls are even leaving early from practice for their jobs or due to their extensive school workload.”

“I think this schedule ignores half of the student population…”

Most of the teams at Rocklin High School have opted to do an early morning practice due to the late start time. Kate added that, “ I don’t really think early morning practice would be beneficial to the team. It doesn’t make sense because we don’t have an on campus practice facility like the other teams at our school. We practice at Whitney Oaks Golf Course and although it is relatively close to Rocklin, it doesn’t even get light out until 6:45 [in the morning.]”

The overall practice time in the morning would be an hour because we would have to get changed and get ready and drive from the golf course to school.”

Being a student athlete is especially hard at this particuar time. Kate says, “I have difficulty balancing these out.

I have a small amount of time to do my homework because I go straight from school to golf practice or a match. By the time I get home, it’s about 8 o’clock. Then, I have to try and fit in my school assignments when it’s late and I am exhausted.”

It is clear that Kate’s experience is not unique to her, “I think this schedule ignores half of the student population including student athletes who don’t want this schedule because it’s so much harder to get your work done.”