Emily Leighton | Staff Writer

Coming to college for some is difficult. Leaving behind your friends and family can be hard if you have never had to do it before. For college freshmen, there are many new things they have to do in order to be ready for the transition. For freshmen who are student-athletes, there can be more to adjust too.

Mikayla Foster is a freshman soccer player from Johnston, Iowa. She is enjoying soccer here at Buena Vista University (BVU) and she can already see differences from her high school playing time.

“The biggest difference I have noticed is the coaching style,” Foster said. “My previous coach focused mainly on his ‘favorites’ while the coaches I have here pay attention to everyone on the team.”

Zach Anderson is a freshman football player from Emmetsburg, Iowa. Getting ready for the season here at BVU, Anderson had to be physically and mentally ready.

“Over the summer, I would lift and run every day. I did all that I could to be ready for camp,” Anderson said.

Both Anderson and Foster’s main source of complication was noted as being able to balance work load and their sport.

“For me, I have a huge homework load and a lot of my time is spent doing my sport or in the training room. So it’s hard for me to find time to do my homework, go to practice, eat, etc.” Foster said.

There are many other freshmen student-athletes in the same position as Anderson and Foster. With the help of their teammates and other students on campus, stressful aspects of being a student-athelete can be lightened overtime.