By Moses Leos III

Success on the court or the field is the ultimate goal all coaches hope to see from their athletes. 

For Hays High head basketball coach Danny Preuss, success in the classroom is equally, if not more, important. 

Last month, 11 Hays Lady Rebel basketball players were selected to the 14-6A Academic All District list. Of those players, two of them, seniors Haley Carmona and Ariana Garcia, were named to the 2016 Academic All State list. 

Preuss said ensuring players can balance the rigors of the student athlete life is key. He said the focus on academics begins from day one of the school year. 

“What we worry about is getting the top performers at the school, both in the classroom and on the court,” Preuss said. “Parents know that, and it’s big for them and their kids. Hopefully they (the students) pride themselves on being not only a good basketball player, but one of the top performers in the classroom.

Preuss, who has taught at Hays CISD for 26 years, has seen how academics has become a vital component for students over the years. He said the level of competition “is there, not only on the court, but also in the classroom.” 

He said with the increase in requirements for graduation and standardized testing, the classroom is an “everyday grind,” Preuss said. As such, Preuss said he’s had days where team practices change to allow students to catch up with classwork. 

During tournament season, he said the coaching staff focuses on telling players to let instructors know they may miss classroom time, as they’re playing tournament games. 

“Some kids, we have to tell them to go to bed at night, because they’re cramming (for tests) at 1, 2, 3 in the morning,” Preuss said. “And you can see that wears on them. Every once in a while, we’ll take off a practice.” 

Self motivation, primarily on completing homework, is the one the key factor for student athletes in balancing the load, according to Garcia. 

“When you get home from away games, and it’s almost 1 a.m., you’re like, ‘Do I really need to do that homework? Do I really need to study for that test?,’” Garcia said. “You have to keep your grades up. You have to stay on top of it.”

Carmona said keeping good grades to play basketball is her main focus. 

All students who play in University Interscholastic League sports are subject to the “No Pass, No Play” policy. Students must make above a 70 at every grading period in order to hit the court or field.

Hays High junior Choon Hee Chae said time management is important in balancing sports and academics, especially for those who may take Advanced Placement (AP) courses. 

But equally important is athletes making sure they get enough rest. 

“You still have time management, but you also want to get rest too, because you want to perform at your highest level,” Chae said. 

But Preuss said the challenge of balancing the sport and academic life prepares students who wish to play sports at the collegiate level. The balancing act also prepares students for life beyond the classroom and in the real world as well. 

“The ones that take it seriously, they are top students in the class, they know what to put in and the challenges they may face in college,” Preuss said. “I’m proud of my girls because they are not only good athletes, but success stories in the classroom. ” 

That extends to the competition factor, which Preuss said isn’t limited to finding the right college, but also will go toward finding jobs. 

In the future, Preuss said students may face steeper challenges, as competition and requirements in the classroom will get harder from year to year. 

He said outside influences, such as cell phones, may add to that challenge.

“It’s the whole thing about priorities. I’m big on priorities and big on being organized,” Preuss said. “If they can handle that, it’s going to make the journey a lot easier.”