In his life, sports mean an escape. In his life, sports mean a release. In his life, sports are everything.

Freshman Ben Depriest uses most of his time playing baseball, basketball and football while also having to overcome the challenges of school life. His dedication to his craft has never stopped him from succeeding on and off the court.

“School comes first. I have to get my grades and homework done,” Depriest said. “You just have to work and do as much as you can.”

No matter how hard it may be, Depriest manages to keep his priorities in line.

“[After school] comes sports and a social life,” Depriest said. “I don’t have much free time, but most of my friends play sports with me.”

Just because he keeps things straight doesn’t mean that Depriest doesn’t struggle. He often finds it hard to find a healthy balance of time.

“Getting my homework done [is challenging],” Depriest said. “It’s pretty hard to balance school and sports, I got like three hours of sleep last night. It’s hard when you’ve got football and baseball practice and you’re home at 8 o’clock.”

Energy, however, isn’t much of a problem for Depriest; it’s overflowing.

“My favorite sport is probably basketball. It’s just a lot of energy. You never stop,” Depriest said. “Other sports get kind of boring, like in baseball you just hit and stand in the field unless they hit it to you, but in basketball you’re always moving.”

Sports don’t only release energy for Depriest, they also release stress.

“If I ever get in a bad situation I can always go to sports and [not focus on it],” Depriest said. “Sports make my life more relaxed. Whenever I get in trouble with my parents I just go to practice and take my mind off things.”

Depriest finds the realm of sports much more enjoyable than the boring walls and desks of a school. As for the future, college doesn’t involve a huge focus on curriculum either.

“At the end of the school day I always have football and I look forward to,” Depriest said. “My goal is to go to college and play any sport. I would love to be a professional athlete if I can.”