Game day has finally arrived. College scouts watch every move the varsity athlete makes, the plays he executes, and how much pain he can endure. As if nerves are not enough, the athlete has just finished a strenuous workout in gym class. For years, varsity student athletes have tried to balance school, sleep, sports, and homework. Participating in gym causes unnecessary stress and strain on an athlete's body and mind. High school athletes should have gym class scheduled for the last period of the school day so they can head to their athletic events.

Physical education activities, such as running, lifting, or biking, drain an athlete of his energy. Since gym class is part of a student's grade point average, athletes must work just as hard as other students to receive a satisfactory grade. Recently, many schools have begun using heart-rate monitors, giving gym teachers the ability to grade students on how hard their heart is working. The more active life a person lives, the lower his heart rate. So, a varsity athlete must work extra hard to maintain an elevated heart rate.

According to Dr. Donohue in The Daily News from Batavia, N.Y., “Overtraining is as harmful as no training.” By participating in gym class, an athlete is at risk of overtraining and will not be able to play at the top level during practice and games.

Varsity athletes get home at least three hours later than other students, resulting in them doing homework late into the night instead of sleeping. At the same time, varsity athletes must keep their grade point average at a certain level if they want to compete. According to Cheri Mah, a leader in a study about sleep for the Associated Professional Sleep Society, sleep is the biggest factor that is weighing down athletes.

In order to complete schoolwork, an athlete may stay up late into the night, which may affect his performance in academics as well as sports. The University of Stanford did a study where members of the women's tennis team attempted to get 10 hours of sleep a night. The results showed those who did ran faster and hit more accurate shots. By starting practice during gym class, athletes will arrive home earlier, giving them more time to finish homework and get to bed.

Doing this will also decrease the risk of injury, since the athlete's body will not receive as much stress and strain. Gym class is not as easy as some believe. In recent years, it has become more vigorous and physically demanding with the nation's fight against childhood obesity. According to an article by Steven Reinberg from the Gannett News Service, gym class injuries increased by 150 percent from 1997 to 2007. Joints can only move so fast, muscles can only lift a certain amount, and lungs can only hold so much air. Gym impedes the amount of work a varsity athlete can do. Muscles need time to rest after a workout. An athlete who participates in gym may be unable to give his muscles the time needed to heal, putting him at risk of injury.

Some people argue that varsity athletes should participate in gym class. They believe athletes make the choice to take part in an extracurricular activity, so they should not receive special treatment. These people must be unaware that participating in sports actually helps a high school student. It teaches young people to listen to authority, communicate with others, and become responsible. Some students participate in athletics because they need a college scholarship. Varsity sports have a positive effect on students, and gym class hinders their success.

By having gym class scheduled during last period, varsity athletes could begin their extracurricular activities earlier. This will allow them to put forth their best effort at practice and games, get home earlier to complete schoolwork, get more rest, and lessen the risk of injury. Most varsity athletes do their best to maintain a balance, and by not having to take gym they will lead a healthier and less stressful life.