The life of a student-athlete is far from easy. It requires dedication and sacrifice; grit and determination. But, most of all, it requires passion.

An avid Vikings fan and football player, junior Johnny Rog has had a passion for football since childhood. Rog started playing football in elementary school with flag football. In middle school, he played TackleBar football, a style of play that falls somewhere in between flag and tackle football. Now, Rog plays cornerback for the SMB Wolfpack, alternating games between the varsity and junior varsity teams.

Rog’s two favorite things about football are the sport’s competitiveness and intensity on the field and the teamwork and community involved in the sport. “[The Wolfpack] is three schools, so I get to see a lot of people that I don’t get to see in school, and that’s really fun,” he said.

Although his love for the game has never wavered, the time commitments of being a student-athlete have increased significantly over the years. Now in his junior year of high school, Rog’s weekdays are usually filled with school and football, with game days being especially long.

Here’s what a typical Friday in the life looks like for Rog during the football season.

6:15 a.m. – Wake up.

6:20 a.m. – Breakfast. Now that he has late lunch every day, Rog makes sure to eat a full breakfast every morning. He likes to eat cereal, typically Frosted Flakes or Raisin Bran, and a banana for breakfast.

7:00 a.m. – Leave for school. Rog has a 45-minute commute from Stillwater.

8:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. – School day. Rog tries to get as much homework done as he can during his free period or tutorial.

3:10 p.m. – Leave for the Friday night game. SMB Wolfpack home games are played at The Blake School, about an hour away from SPA.

4:30 to 7:00 p.m. – Prepare for the game. Rog always makes sure to eat something during this time. He will often have stopped at Walgreens for a snack on his way from SPA.

7:00 p.m. – Kickoff. Games normally last about two hours.

11:00 p.m. – After getting all of his gear off and debriefing with the team, Rog gets to go home, finally.

12:00 a.m. – Arrive home. Eat, shower, sleep in.

Although days like these can be long and exhausting, they are also super fun for Rog, who looks forward to Friday night throughout the school week. “Staying motivated kind of comes by itself because the games on Fri-day nights are so much fun,” Rog said.

When it comes to being a student-athlete, Rog believes that good time management skills are the key to finding sustainable success. This can look different for everyone. For him, this means making the most of his time outside of classes during the school day, prioritizing his sleep –he always goes to bed by 10:00 p.m. on school nights–, and getting some extra school work done over the weekends to make up for his business during the school week.

Rog argues that the most important things are having fun and focusing on the positives. In other words, be passionate. For Rog, community and the joy of competition are two important components that make the sport more fun for him, and he can come back to these motivators in times of challenge or doubt, helping him to maintain a healthy relationship with football. Remembering one’s motivators, or their “why,” allows athletes to persevere through struggle and helps keep the game fun.