Stress and Time Management Strategies for High School Student-Athletes: A Review of Policies and Solutions

Student-athletes at the high school level have challenges from the dual career path, requiring academic excellence alongside rigorous athletic training. This dual career path leads to significant physical and mental stress, exacerbated by rigid school schedules that offer few alternatives for exams or tasks. This review study aims to analyze the current status of high school student-athletes across different geopolitical contexts (the United States of America (USA), the European Union and the United Kingdom, and Japan), evaluating existing school policies and support systems. Stress management interventions and gaps in current institutional support are identified. While the USA emphasizes academic accountability through no pass, no play policies, it lacks flexibility. European models show flexibility in the dual career with implementation barriers, while Japanese systems lack mental health literacy. In those countries, individualistic coping strategies are insufficient. To mitigate the problems identified for student athletes, an integrated framework involving hybrid scheduling, mandatory mental health literacy, and institutionalized support are required to effectively mitigate student-athlete stress.