The traditional ups and down of college life are often exaggerated when a student adds participation in an intercollegiate sport to the standard demands. Ari Davis, a first-year member of Shawnee State’s women’s soccer team can attest to both the opportunities and the stresses that come with being a student athlete.

Davis attended Waverly High School, where she played four years of soccer before graduating this spring.

“I grew up loving the game and wanted to pursue my athletic career in college,” she said.

Whether playing with a club team or her hometown team, Davis spent most of her childhood around a soccer ball, and she enjoys many things about the opportunity to continue playing the sport at SSU. She said she loves how competitive soccer is at the collegiate level and that she enjoys getting to see all the different skill levels in the college game.

Davis also mentioned the great relationships she has made through soccer at Shawnee State, expressing a hope that they will last for a lifetime. College soccer has also given Davis an opportunity to visit places she wouldn’t otherwise have had a chance to see.

“I love traveling, and it’s even better when I get to play soccer,” she said.

Although Davis expressed an immense passion for soccer at the collegiate level, she noted the challenges of it as well. She discussed how time-consuming soccer is at the collegiate level and mentioned that she rarely has time to work because she is constantly either in class or on the soccer field.

Along with the financial concerns that arise from limited time to work, Davis said that she rarely has time to go home and see her family. Constraints on her time also make it hard to balance her academic and athletic careers.

“Sometimes I am out so late because of how far away the games are, and I still have to get up the next morning and go to class,” she said, expressing concern about the amount of sleep she is getting, as well.

These challenges have allowed her to build important skills, though. Davis noted that her time management skills have tremendously improved since she started her collegiate career. She has to use her time wisely and constantly live out her priorities. She has to balance homework, attending class, soccer, family time and so much more.

Davis added that playing soccer at the collegiate level has kept her both physically and mentally healthy.

While she appreciates the rewards of collegiate soccer, she acknowledged that the transition from high school to college has been demanding. Davis noted how much more time-consuming soccer is at the college level and how much more skill and aggression college players have than her high school opponents had.

Another big adjustment Davis mentioned is contributing to the chemistry of the team. She said that before the season began, she had never played with most of the players on her team. While she acknowledged how challenging it is to build team chemistry, she said that as she played more with the team, she got to know her teammates better, on and off of the field.

Davis’ advice to young people considering college-level athletics is to start saving money early to offset financial challenges and to stay on top of your classes.

“Make sure to make time for your academics, even when it gets difficult because it should be one of your top priorities,” she said.