For successful athletes, academics and sports merge
By Dave Geringer and Jamie Schanback

Jared Sylvestre • Hockey

Senior Jared Sylvestre is captain of the hockey team. When he came to UAF, he had already experienced living away from his hometown of Bonnyville, Alberta, in order to play his sport.

"In my second year in bantams, I moved to Edmonton and lived with my aunt and uncle so I could play triple A midgets, because I figured that I would get better exposure. It was a much bigger school, and I wasn't a straight A student like I was in Bonnyville. But, when I went back, my grades came back up."

At UAF, Sylvestre is working towards a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering. "I find Alaska to be very similar to Bonnyville," said Sylvestre. "The classes are small, there is plenty of one-on-one, and the teachers help you out. The transition has been very smooth."

The hockey team practices or plays six days a week, but Sylvestre said that playing hockey helps him academically. "If I didn't have hockey, my grades wouldn't be as good," said Sylvestre. "I like to procrastinate, and with hockey, I have to bear down and get my work done."

Travel is always a concern, and student-athletes who represent UAF are often faced with long road trips. Sylvestre said that studying on the road is not the answer.

"I try to get my work done before we leave," said Sylvestre. "I go over all my assignments and try to get them done, so that when I'm on the road, I can just focus on hockey. We always have time at the hotel, and we have some long plane rides, so there is time to get the work done when we are on the road."

Managing time properly is crucial. "The most important aspect I have found is time management, it's a big key to life," said Sylvestre. "Once you get good at it, things are a lot simpler. You don't stress yourself out, and life is so much easier."

• Candice Smith--Basketball
• Jonas Tetlie--Cross Country Skiing
• Johanna Turunen--Cross Country Skiing
• Crystal Wheelock--Volleyball
• Matt Wallace--Rifle

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All UAF photos by Todd Paris unless otherwise noted.