For Michael Dabrowski, the pool is not only a place where he gets better at his sport. It’s where he gets to decompress from the stresses of school.

“When I get in the zone it helps me clear my mind and forget everything else chaotic that is going on around me,” Dabrowski, a sophomore who competes in swimming, said.

Elk Grove students like Dabrowski use high school sports to relieve stress and pressure from school. It gives them an outlet to succeed at something out of the classroom and keep their minds off things. Constandinos Kokonas, a junior who competes in track & field echoed the same sentiment.

“It really helps you feel less stressed. If I’m excited about something, I feel like I get a break from other things that aren’t so exciting and I get to focus on the good,” Kokonas said.

For Dabrowski, it’s not just the physical aspect of the sport that helps him. His teammates also play a significant role in creating a supportive and stress free environment.

“They do that by supporting us in our needs, telling us to not give up and to keep going,” Dabrowski said. “Just keep on going even when it gets hard. Don’t take breaks and give it your all each day and we get better as a team.”

The camaraderie extends beyond competitions and school. Anthony Reyes, a junior who competes in swimming, said he and his teammates find ways to stay close when they’re not in the pool.

“We hang out outside of school or outside of school in the sport as well,” Reyes said. “So that also helps us connect better with each other and I guess overall bring or build a better bond with each other.”

Reyes said that sports don’t just help student-athletes feel better, but they build a sense of confidence.

“Not only does it bring you so many benefits to your health, but it makes you feel better about yourself because knowing that you’re exercising every day and you won’t be needing that outside of school,” Reyes said.

The advantages of playing high school sports go beyond just the physical, as they teach how to be a better time manager.

“I spend a huge chunk of my study hall doing homework, or sometimes after practice I tend to organize myself and put reminders on my phone to do the homework I need to do,” Reyes said. “Or I have other people remind me as well.”