Sachika
Balvani graduated from Trinity College where she played varsity squash,
followed by going on the PSA circuit. After spending time in Hollywood,
CA (while coaching), Sachika returned to India. She talks about
education, learning, going to school on-line, Zoom, preparing for and
attending college...
"Those are really great topics! I did go to a very academically-intense
high-school, (Taft) and getting through it while also managing squash
definitely helped me deal with college.
I think of course, attending school on-line is really tough. But I
think we must all take the current circumstances in our stride. I think
it would be important to acknowledge that..."Yes, this is difficult and
I don't like it, but what can I do to make this better/more
bearable/normal?"
While I didn't have to do any on-line schooling in high school, it was
an incredibly difficult time for me personally. I moved to the U.S.
from India alone. As a freshman at Taft, (three months later), I lost
my dad. This definitely affected my focus. I had to work hard for the
next three-and-a-half years to keep up with both studies and squash.
It's so important to find a balance - it's not easy - but it's
important! I definitely went through phases where I didn't want to
study and just didn't feel motivated to do the work. Sometimes
academics can be so overwhelming that it's easy to find yourself
caving. But I also knew I had to work hard so that I could get a
scholarship to go to a good college--so that was my bigger picture,
which kept me going.
I'd say this...you've got to find your bigger picture, then keep it in
mind. On-line school or not, some things stay the same, especially for
student-athletes. It comes down to time management, balancing what
makes one happy along with getting the work done, discipline and yes,
perhaps a little sacrifice.
But--look at the bigger picture always! Set a goal for the year,
picture where you see yourself in 2, 3, 4 years. We have to strike a
balance between working towards that goal, while also taking care of
ourselves and having some fun!
I was a big planner, so I would always plan out my day, figure out how
much time I would spend on each subject (according to what needed to be
done) and make sure I did whatever it took to stick to it. Listen to
music that gets you going, schedule regular 'reward' breaks so that you
don't go crazy! In my opinion, reserving time for workouts and/or
squash is really helpful too!
I would love to get on a Zoom chat with everyone who might want to
join. Of course, then I'd be able to see some of the players I used to
train, but also just have a chat about these things and give advice
that might help others get through this critical time with flying
colors.
I could give them tips on time management, etc. We could also just have
a chat about college, the college process, and all of the other things,
especially given these extraordinary times.
It might be nice to have a not-so-formal chat on Zoom and just address
everything that players might be struggling with. Who knows, maybe one
player's tips could even help another! We could also record the chat
and have it up for everyone who might miss the chat."
