The hustle and bustle lifestyle of a student athlete is not one for the weak minded; it’s a lifestyle that includes sprints before dawn, tortuous study sessions after the rest of town goes to bed and a list of anxieties between them.

The precious time reserved to be able to let yourself go is an important challenge that is required to maintain a healthy mind, body and soul for student athletes. Chico State Volleyball kills leader and co-president of the Student Athlete Advisory committee, Bekah Boyle found the perfect balance between being herself and being a 4 time California Collegiate Athletic Association all academic team honoree and community leader.

“As a student athlete, you get stressed about school, you get stressed about sports, there’s a lot on your plate,” Boyle said. “Getting that time and making sure that you have time to relieve stress is important to both mental and physical health. If you’re mentally and physically exhausted it’s so hard to keep on track.”

The first couple weeks of the school year is a time for students to familiarize themselves with their new classes, teachers and of course the college town night life. It’s a reality that sport stars do not get the pleasure seeking, as they are immediately tossed into a tumultuous schedule of three hour practices and missing much needed class time while on the road.

“It’s pretty crazy, especially in the fall when we’re traveling,” Boyle said. “Being a science major, I have labs and It’s very time consuming to be in school and then contributing so much time to volleyball.”

To detach herself from the responsibilities of memorizing game plans and the foreign language of biochemistry, Boyle finds her solace through the literature of Harry Potter and Stephen Hawking, fitness training on her off time and hiking through Chico’s stapled parks. This is the formula to aid in her process of being the best athlete possible.

Boyle was humbled and grateful for the opportunity to be a college athlete and found it immensely important to give back to her community who have showered her with support. She also found another passion that puts a smile on her face that she never saw coming by becoming a Student Athlete Advisory committee leader for her community.

“I wanted to become a representative originally because I thought it would be fun to get involved,” Boyle said. “But as I spent more time here in Chico, what I love most about being here is the community. Being in the athletic department, the community gives us so much support.”

The life of an athlete is time consuming and requires a lot of sacrifice and discipline to stay on track. It is a life that may leave one exhausted, but Boyle has made that time worth it.

Wesley Harris can be reached at [email protected] and @jiggy_wes on twitter