The dedication and talent it takes to be an IB student or play varsity sports is no doubt impressive, but for one family, both accomplishments don’t seem to be a problem. Twin seniors, Mason and Jasmine Reiter, and their younger cousin, freshmen Connor Johnson, are all enrolled in IB and play at the varsity level in football, volleyball and basketball respectively.  

The average schedule for most students is relatively busy, but for these three students they have hours of practice and hours of homework to balance all on an any given school night.

“Learning to balance everything definitely took some time,” Mason said. “At first it was a struggle to make sure I get good grades, practice and maintain a social life, but as time went on, I really started to get the hang of it and now it’s a routine.”

The three believe that their combination of being athletic and academic benefits them and will continue to elevate them above the normal athlete or student.

“We look at the our respective games differently than most,” Jasmine said. “We take an approach that can help us analyze the game and give us an advantage to help beat our opponents. I think sports has also prepared us for down the road in college and maybe in our future workplace. It teaches us how to work as a team and deal with stressful situations.”

Although it may be beneficial for the future, the strenuous workload these three students take on can have an effect on their family life.  

“I’m not as close as I used to be with my brother and cousin,” Jasmine said. “Our schedules are almost flipped from one another. We don’t get to spend as much time with each other as we used to be able to when we were younger.”

The time they spend with one another doesn’t occur as frequently as in the past, they really do cherish the moments they have with one another.

“We all love each other,” Mason said. “I’m always looking for ways to help them out whether it’d be by helping with school work, or going to their games, I want them to know that I am always there for them.”

This supportive mentality continues to help them through countless practices, test and games that all three have to endure in a week.

“Without them I don’t know where I’d be,” Connor said. “They have helped me countless times with my school work, and they indirectly help me by just helping me relieve stress. I really enjoy being around them and it’s nice to have their company after a busy week.”

The qualities someone have to possess to be an IB varsity athlete are no doubt rare, but this family has found a way to have three kids be successful in their high school careers

“It’s just something that was instilled in us as children,” Connor said. “We were always pushed to challenge ourselves in order to better ourselves. Our family has been extremely courageous, and I think that is something that has been passed down to us.”