Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowgirls Tackling Life As Student-Athletes
April 09, 2019 | Cowgirl Softball
Story by Jacob Derichsweiler
STILLWATER - Even after playing a seven-inning game and sitting on a plane back home, the homework is due at 11:30 p.m.
Sitting in a commercial airline seats with the tiny, overhead lamp and turbulence making it worse, Madi Sue Montgomery and the rest of the Oklahoma State softball team use whatever time they can find to finish homework.
"We all end up paying for Wi-Fi on the plane," Montgomery said. "Trying to get it done."
For a student-athlete, fitting in time for school on a plane or a bus can be hard, but for Logan Simunek, a junior pitcher for the Cowgirls, it's difficult to make it to class, especially when season starts.
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In the first three weeks of traveling in the 2019 season, Simunek said she was only able to attend one day of each of her classes.
"Working with your professors, letting them know what is going on and then just being able to get your work done ahead will help the most," Simunek said.
Simunek uses a form of self-discipline of writing her schedule in a planner and checking it every day to make sure any assignment that is supposed to be turned in has been submitted and to help manage her time.
Finding the time is difficult for a student-athlete but is a must to ensure they can get playing time.
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"You can do it in the hotel or the bus, but as long as you have someone help you out or just let you know when (homework) is due," Simunek said. "Just focus on getting it done."
Hearing about turning terminals and buses into a study hall has been a good lesson to hear for Kiley Naomi. Naomi, a freshman, has had open ears to the older players' warnings about getting schoolwork done sooner rather then later.
"Upper classmen know because they've experienced it before," Naomi said. "I just take advice from them and then go with it."
Kenny Gajewski, OSU's coach, said the upper classmen know how to manage time and what the expectations are, but sometimes he has to remind the freshmen on what those expectations are.
"It's my job to make sure those freshmen understand the same standard that we have here," Gajewski said. "Greatness is a way of life, and so it doesn't matter what you do, you have to be great at it."
Gajewski said he has reminded the freshman on the team that they are at Oklahoma State for school and, even if they are tired from practice, there isn't an excuse not to go to class.
Those reminders help with the transition for freshmen who haven't experienced the student-athlete schedule before. Every opportunity to do homework Naomi said the biggest difference between balancing school and softball in high school compared to college.
"You just don't have as much time," Naomi said. "You have to manage whenever you do your schoolwork. Every chance you get you have to do work because you usually won't have enough time if you wait."
Not only is the travel for games a hurdle, but also the day-to-day schedule presents challenges with fitting in schoolwork.
"When you have practice every single day for three to four hours a day, finding time of when you can get that work done, because not every day you're going to be motivated to do your schoolwork, so just finding time when you are to try and knockout as much as you can," Montgomery said.
Knowing how to mange free time can make finding the time easy. Samantha Show, a pitcher, said it's all about time management and is a something she learned at a young age.
Show's dad taught her how to manage her time by having her set up lessons with a pitching coach and find herself a catcher to practice with. Show said it made her aware that she can't wait until the last minute to do anything when balancing sports and school.
"You have to plan ahead and just get on top of things when you can."
Show said she hasn't had much trouble balancing school and softball. Show tries to maintain the same routine every day in effort to get it out of the way.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Show starts her day with weights with the team 7 a.m. followed by breakfast. Show then spends the rest of her morning going to class and attempting to finish as much schoolwork before practice to maximize her free time.
"That way when I'm done with practice I can go home and just relax," Show said. "That's just the way I do things, but I like doing things in the morning."
OSU's softball team takes pride in its academic efforts. In the past two seasons, OSU has led the Big 12 with 22 Academic All-Big 12 selections and since Gajewski started the job in 2016, 19 Cowgirls graduated during his tenure.Â
"It's not a fluke that our kids have a higher GPA than the student body's," Gajewski said. "They have resources and they have the right things to do. They have the right people to guide them and when you have that and you take advantage of that, the sky is the limit for these kids."
Academic Services for Student Athletes is major resource for the Cowgirls is the in the Joe & Connie Mitchell Academic Enhancement Center. The service offers educational, personal and career support programs to all student-athletes.
Gajewski is a former college athlete who played baseball at the University of Oklahoma and said the advancements in the resources for athletes' academics has improved a lot since he played.
"When I was in school, we were just starting to get academic centers," Gajewski said. "Everybody was trying to figure out how much money you're willing to dump into this and what you find out is, and coach (Mike) Holder says this, doing good in the classroom and doing good on the field are not mutually exclusive."
Show, a transfer from Texas A&M, said the people at the Academic Center are helpful and she has noticed their dedication to helping student-athletes.
"I know every school says, 'School before softball,' but it's different here," Show said.
Gajewski said the bottom line for the athletes is whether they are willing to take advantage of the opportunity to use the resources and should be utilized because of the athletes' tight schedule.
"I don't think it's anything to be ashamed of the fact that they have extra help and resources," Gajewski said. "The amount of time these kids are pulled away and have to travel, they have to be able to get some extra help and time and things like that."
Finding the time is difficult for a student-athlete but is a must to ensure they can get playing time.
Gajewski isn't in charge of how well the players do in the classroom, but he knows his role to remind them class is the most important thing and doesn't always have to use words to get his message across.
"The greatest thing that I have is I control the playing time," Gajewski said. "I don't have to talk a whole lot, just remind them that if you aren't going to take care stuff there, then you're not going to play."
Although Gajewski's job is to have his players produce on the field, but he also can remind his players like a parent in a way and be that person to maintain their focus.
Gajewski recognizes it's up to him to keep his players accountable and reminds them frequently going to class is the most important part of their day. Giving his players the necessary time to take care of themselves so that they can preform on the field.
A college athlete has plenty of pressure to not only preform at a high level in their sport, but also represent the school in a high standard. As the athletes work to become better at their sport, they do the same to excel in the classroom.
"If you're willing to put the work into that, you're going to just do better," Gajewski said. "It's just another thing that gets off your chest. It's another win. It's just like hitting a home run when you get a good test grade. There is a feeling that you get and if you don't you're doing the wrong thing."
Gajewski not only wants his players to win on the field, but also everything they do. Gajewski has made it clear academic success, along with growth on the field, will be a pillar of OSU's re-emergence.
"We talk to our kids about winning at everything that you do," Gajewski said. "In school, in sleep, working out, eating, in everything that you do. If you're trying to win, then that just becomes a way of life.
"Being great. That's what it's all about."
Â
STILLWATER - Even after playing a seven-inning game and sitting on a plane back home, the homework is due at 11:30 p.m.
Sitting in a commercial airline seats with the tiny, overhead lamp and turbulence making it worse, Madi Sue Montgomery and the rest of the Oklahoma State softball team use whatever time they can find to finish homework.
"We all end up paying for Wi-Fi on the plane," Montgomery said. "Trying to get it done."
For a student-athlete, fitting in time for school on a plane or a bus can be hard, but for Logan Simunek, a junior pitcher for the Cowgirls, it's difficult to make it to class, especially when season starts.
Â
In the first three weeks of traveling in the 2019 season, Simunek said she was only able to attend one day of each of her classes.
"Working with your professors, letting them know what is going on and then just being able to get your work done ahead will help the most," Simunek said.
Simunek uses a form of self-discipline of writing her schedule in a planner and checking it every day to make sure any assignment that is supposed to be turned in has been submitted and to help manage her time.
Finding the time is difficult for a student-athlete but is a must to ensure they can get playing time.
Â
"You can do it in the hotel or the bus, but as long as you have someone help you out or just let you know when (homework) is due," Simunek said. "Just focus on getting it done."
Hearing about turning terminals and buses into a study hall has been a good lesson to hear for Kiley Naomi. Naomi, a freshman, has had open ears to the older players' warnings about getting schoolwork done sooner rather then later.
"Upper classmen know because they've experienced it before," Naomi said. "I just take advice from them and then go with it."
Kenny Gajewski, OSU's coach, said the upper classmen know how to manage time and what the expectations are, but sometimes he has to remind the freshmen on what those expectations are.
"It's my job to make sure those freshmen understand the same standard that we have here," Gajewski said. "Greatness is a way of life, and so it doesn't matter what you do, you have to be great at it."
Gajewski said he has reminded the freshman on the team that they are at Oklahoma State for school and, even if they are tired from practice, there isn't an excuse not to go to class.
Those reminders help with the transition for freshmen who haven't experienced the student-athlete schedule before. Every opportunity to do homework Naomi said the biggest difference between balancing school and softball in high school compared to college.
"You just don't have as much time," Naomi said. "You have to manage whenever you do your schoolwork. Every chance you get you have to do work because you usually won't have enough time if you wait."
Not only is the travel for games a hurdle, but also the day-to-day schedule presents challenges with fitting in schoolwork.
"When you have practice every single day for three to four hours a day, finding time of when you can get that work done, because not every day you're going to be motivated to do your schoolwork, so just finding time when you are to try and knockout as much as you can," Montgomery said.
Knowing how to mange free time can make finding the time easy. Samantha Show, a pitcher, said it's all about time management and is a something she learned at a young age.
Show's dad taught her how to manage her time by having her set up lessons with a pitching coach and find herself a catcher to practice with. Show said it made her aware that she can't wait until the last minute to do anything when balancing sports and school.
"You have to plan ahead and just get on top of things when you can."
Show said she hasn't had much trouble balancing school and softball. Show tries to maintain the same routine every day in effort to get it out of the way.
On Tuesdays and Thursdays, Show starts her day with weights with the team 7 a.m. followed by breakfast. Show then spends the rest of her morning going to class and attempting to finish as much schoolwork before practice to maximize her free time.
"That way when I'm done with practice I can go home and just relax," Show said. "That's just the way I do things, but I like doing things in the morning."
OSU's softball team takes pride in its academic efforts. In the past two seasons, OSU has led the Big 12 with 22 Academic All-Big 12 selections and since Gajewski started the job in 2016, 19 Cowgirls graduated during his tenure.Â
"It's not a fluke that our kids have a higher GPA than the student body's," Gajewski said. "They have resources and they have the right things to do. They have the right people to guide them and when you have that and you take advantage of that, the sky is the limit for these kids."
Academic Services for Student Athletes is major resource for the Cowgirls is the in the Joe & Connie Mitchell Academic Enhancement Center. The service offers educational, personal and career support programs to all student-athletes.
Gajewski is a former college athlete who played baseball at the University of Oklahoma and said the advancements in the resources for athletes' academics has improved a lot since he played.
"When I was in school, we were just starting to get academic centers," Gajewski said. "Everybody was trying to figure out how much money you're willing to dump into this and what you find out is, and coach (Mike) Holder says this, doing good in the classroom and doing good on the field are not mutually exclusive."
Show, a transfer from Texas A&M, said the people at the Academic Center are helpful and she has noticed their dedication to helping student-athletes.
"I know every school says, 'School before softball,' but it's different here," Show said.
Gajewski said the bottom line for the athletes is whether they are willing to take advantage of the opportunity to use the resources and should be utilized because of the athletes' tight schedule.
"I don't think it's anything to be ashamed of the fact that they have extra help and resources," Gajewski said. "The amount of time these kids are pulled away and have to travel, they have to be able to get some extra help and time and things like that."
Finding the time is difficult for a student-athlete but is a must to ensure they can get playing time.
Gajewski isn't in charge of how well the players do in the classroom, but he knows his role to remind them class is the most important thing and doesn't always have to use words to get his message across.
"The greatest thing that I have is I control the playing time," Gajewski said. "I don't have to talk a whole lot, just remind them that if you aren't going to take care stuff there, then you're not going to play."
Although Gajewski's job is to have his players produce on the field, but he also can remind his players like a parent in a way and be that person to maintain their focus.
Gajewski recognizes it's up to him to keep his players accountable and reminds them frequently going to class is the most important part of their day. Giving his players the necessary time to take care of themselves so that they can preform on the field.
A college athlete has plenty of pressure to not only preform at a high level in their sport, but also represent the school in a high standard. As the athletes work to become better at their sport, they do the same to excel in the classroom.
"If you're willing to put the work into that, you're going to just do better," Gajewski said. "It's just another thing that gets off your chest. It's another win. It's just like hitting a home run when you get a good test grade. There is a feeling that you get and if you don't you're doing the wrong thing."
Gajewski not only wants his players to win on the field, but also everything they do. Gajewski has made it clear academic success, along with growth on the field, will be a pillar of OSU's re-emergence.
"We talk to our kids about winning at everything that you do," Gajewski said. "In school, in sleep, working out, eating, in everything that you do. If you're trying to win, then that just becomes a way of life.
"Being great. That's what it's all about."
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