College Admissions 101 - Balancing School and Sport

October 30, 2024

We asked our 2024 Summer Interns to give advice on a variety of topics for student-athletes entering the college admission process. Next up, we asked Bryan Kane to discuss balancing school and sport.

Q: What school do you go to?

BK: Western New England University

Q: Why did you choose your school?

BK: I picked Western New England because of the great sports management program, along with being able to play football.

Q: What factors influenced your decision?

BK: Some of the factors that influenced my decision were the family aspect of the football team. When I went to visit it felt like a place where I would enjoy being every day. I also went to a very small high school so I wanted to transition into a smaller college because I felt like that would be easier for me. The coaches at Western New England also made me feel like that was a place that I was going to excel academically and athletically which was ultimately what I wanted to do.

Q: When choosing classes, how does the practice/game schedule affect your choices?

BK: When I’m choosing classes my practice schedule has rarely affected my choices. We have set practice times every day of the week and they normally don't change. It allows the athletes to pick their schedule around practice very easily. If there is a class conflict it is never an issue to take that class. Our coaches want it to succeed outside of football as much as they do inside of football. There may be times when a class interferes with meetings which are out of our control. If that happens you have to take responsibility and have a meeting in the morning with your coach to make sure you have the playbook down and ready to go for the game on Saturday.

Q:What skills are important to balancing school and sport?

BK: The biggest skill you need to have to balance school and football is time management. Throughout the season there will be times where you feel like a lot of stuff is adding up and you don't know how you're going to finish all your work, but we have study hall every week of the season. Many times this is where I will finish all my homework for the week. That just allows me to not feel like I have an overwhelming amount of stuff to do on top of learning the plays that we are putting in. As a freshman, I had a reality check when it came to the workload of being a student athlete. But once you get into the swing of things and start to understand that when you have downtime, you should finish that paper, instead of laying down and taking a nap or playing xbox. Once you are able to find your way of finishing all your work and preparing for practice/games you will find that it isn't as hard as you think it is.

Q: What advice do you have for an incoming college student or someone going through the process of choosing?

BK: Some advice I have for incoming freshmen is that you need to trust the process. When I was freshman in college I just thought that was some of the seniors telling me that and I didn't really listen. Going into my senior year I wish I did listen to them because it would have saved me a lot of worrying and stress. When I was a freshman in college, I wasn't doing great in school and I was not playing. And every year I have progressed in school and football. Some things take time and it's a learning process when you get to college. I also didn't understand that I was going into college and playing football with grown men. I was a very small freshman who played every single snap of high school football. When I got to school I quickly realized I wasn't the top player anymore and for a lot of people that's hard to hear. I believe the best advice for an incoming freshman is that you need to trust the process.

For someone who is choosing a home for the next 4 years, in my opinion you need to choose a place where it feels like home and somewhere where you find yourself succeeding in whichever way you choose. I picked Western New England because I felt wanted. I felt like the professors that I met and the coaches wanted me there. You need to feel welcomed and wanted at the school you choose for the next 4 years.

Q: Now that you have been in school what are some things you wish you knew beforehand

BK: Now that I have been at school, one thing I wish I knew beforehand is that college really does go by as quick as people tell you. I wish I listened to everyone telling me that you're going to blink and it will be your senior year. College isn't about going out every night of the week, it's about making connections with kids you would've never met, it's about those little moments you have with your friends that you will never forget. It's about taking advantage of the little time you have with the same group of friends for 4 years.

About Bryan Kane

Bryan Kane was an Operations Intern for the 2024 Summer Games. Bryan is from Millis, MA and graduated from Millis High School in 2021. He is in his senior year at Western New England University where he is majoring in Sports Management, and he hopes to pursue a career in sports. This year, he plans to finish his degree and complete his final year as a safety for the Western New England Golden Bears.

See more recruiting tools and college admissions process information at our Recruiting Tools page.

College Admissions 101 Previous Posts

October 2, 2024 - Going to School Far From Home

October 9, 2024 - Transferring After Your First Year

October 16, 2024 - Experiencing a Career Ending Injury

October 23, 2024 - Not Playing Sports in College

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Bay State Games Awarded a B.A.A. Gives Back Grant

November 24, 2025

Fall edition of the B.A.A. Gives Back Grant Program awards $125,000 to local non-profit organizations

Bay State Games Announces 2025 Future Leaders Scholarship Recipients

November 18, 2025

The Bay State Games has selected six statewide scholarship recipients for the 2025 Future Leaders Scholarship Program. These student-athletes were selected from a large applicant pool after a process that included committee reviews of all applications and virtual interviews with selected applicants. These future leaders were selected based on their achievements and involvement in academics, community service, athletics, and leadership roles. The Bay State Games Future Leaders Scholarship program was established in 1989 and has since distributed nearly $400,000 in financial aid. Each of these high school seniors will receive a $1,000 scholarship for their first year of college. “Bay State Games is proud to continue the Future Leaders Scholarship program which since 1989 has provided over $400,000 in aid to support the continuing education of outstanding young leaders." said Kevin Cummings, Executive Director of the Bay State Games. “These well deserving student-athletes have excelled in the classroom, on the field and in the community, representing a variety of schools, sports and regions across Massachusetts” This year’s six scholarship recipients are Elyse Bissada, Brooke Blahut, Abigail Howie, Olivia Laaper, Sabina Mackechnie, Molly McIntyre. Elyse Bissada is a senior at Dover-Sherborn High School, where she is a four-year varsity field hockey and track & field athlete, as well as the team captain for both sports. In 2025, Elyse was a member of the Bay State Games Southeast field hockey team where she won a gold medal. Elyse is the founder of the Veterinary Medicine Club at her school and in her free time volunteers at local farms and Animal Rescue Leagues across the state. Elyse has committed to play field hockey and study biology at Hamilton College, where she plans to pursue veterinary medicine and ultimately establish an affordable low-cost clinic that serves her community. Brooke Blahut is a senior at North Quincy High School where she is a 4-year varsity member of the soccer team, and captain of the varsity ice hockey team. Brooke is also a well accomplished figure skater. She began skating at age 2 at Winterland Skating School and is now a U.S. Figure Skating Gold Medalist. Brooke has participated in Bay State Games annually since 2016, medaled 6 times, and is a 4-year Bay State Games High School Ambassador. Brooke is also the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Ambassador for NQHS. Brooke is Vice President of her class, a member of the National Honor Society and Science National Honor Society and academically ranks in the top 5% of her class with a 4.6 GPA. Brooke is a two-time team leader and participant in the FBI Teen Leadership Academy and plans to pursue her master’s in forensic science and criminology and become an FBI Special Agent. Abigail Howie is a senior at Wilmington High School, where she is on the varsity soccer team and is captain of the Winter and Spring Track teams. Abigail serves as President of Student Council and the Wildcat Service Council, where she founded the “Bridging Generations” community initiative. She is a member of the National Honor Society, DECA, and Best Buddies. Abigail coaches a Wilmington fourth-grade team and is a USSF-certified soccer referee. She has most recently created an Alzheimer's Awareness community service project for her senior year. She hopes to continue her athletic career in college while studying sports management and marketing. Olivia Laaper resides in Stow and is a senior at Fusion Academy in Burlington. Laaper has been a captain of multiple high school sports teams including Track & Field and Swimming. Olivia is captain of her archery team at Riverside Archers and has won multiple medals in archery at Bay State Games and state competitions. Beyond athletics, Olivia has gained hands-on experience in emergency medicine as a high school intern with Pro EMS and plans to take her EMT certification this fall. She gives back to her community by lifeguarding and coaching youth swimming at Goldfish Swim School, volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters and at local food banks. In college, Olivia plans to pursue a degree in nursing with a minor in emergency medicine and psychology. Sabina Mackechnie is a senior at East Longmeadow High School where she is a three sport athlete and captain in Soccer, Basketball and Lacrosse. She has earned all-league and second-team All-Western Mass honors in soccer and lacrosse. Sabina has been a By State Games Ambassador for two years and is a member of her school's Athletic Leadership Council and Pink Ribbon Club. Sabina participates in canned food drives and fundraisers for her school sports teams. Sabina will continue her lacrosse career at Springfield College while pursuing a degree in Education. Molly McIntyre is a senior at Norton High School where she is a three-sport captain in cross country, basketball, and outdoor track, earning multiple TVL All-Star honors, and MVP awards. Molly serves in key leadership roles on Student Council, DECA, Best Buddies, and five National Honor Societies. She volunteers at local youth sports programs, community events, and the MSG Gregory Trent Foundation. Molly works part-time at a donut shop and local ice cream store. She plans on attending Stonehill College where she will compete in track and study Finance and Marketing. For more information on the Future Leaders Scholarship Program, click here. For a list of past recipients and the colleges and universities they've attended, click here . About the Massachusetts Amateur Sports Foundation/Bay State Games The Massachusetts Amateur Sports Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that was established in 1982 to host the first sanctioned state games of the Commonwealth. It operates with the mission of promoting personal development, education, physical fitness, teamwork, and sportsmanship to Massachusetts citizens of all ages and abilities. The Foundation is recognized for hosting high quality, Olympic-style events through the Bay State Summer and Winter Games, as well as educational programs, including the Future Leaders Scholarship Program, and the High School Ambassador Program.