For argument's sake, the school calendar is split into two basically even semesters. The high school athletics calendar, which is roughly as long, is split into thirds, making for three distinct sports seasons between August and late May.

High School athletes sacrifice a lot to get through just one of those seasons. Between tryouts, practice, travel and the games – not to mention more important factors such as family life and academic work, it can be taxing on anyone who decides to represent their school in a sport.

Some choose to multiply the stresses of a season by three, or if the school will allow it, four.

It used to be commonplace for athletes to participate in three sports during the school year.

Then, different things started to creep into the picture. Some good, some bad, and a few that can be left up for debate, but over time the number of three-sport athletes started to dwindle to the point that at the larger high schools, the idea of one is almost unheard of.

Around here, they can still be found. A recent survey conducted between The Farmville Herald and the athletics directors at the four schools in The Herald coverage area, shows that there were 93 three-sport athletes for the 2010-11 school year. Additionally, some of those were four-sport athletes.

At Fuqua and Cumberland, the two smallest schools in the coverage area, the number of three-sport athletes is higher than at Buckingham and Prince Edward.

Thirty-two athletes at Fuqua School played three sports (with at least one of those sports being on the varsity level).

Cumberland had 24 three-sport athletes. Seven were girls, but of those seven, four participated in four different sports.

Prince Edward, which offers indoor track in the winter, reported 20 and Buckingham reported 17.

With so much time dedicated to sports, it would seem that academics may suffer, but according to CHS Athletics Director, Matt Pearman, that's not the case.

“Our three- and four-sport student-athletes at Cumberland epitomize the true meaning of the term student-athlete,” said Pearman. “They are some of our top students in terms of Grade Point Average.

“The time management skills these students display throughout the school year is nothing short of incredible. They are leaders amongst their peers and admired by myself and the Cumberland Dukes family.”

These athletes deserve to be recognized. Below, are the three-sports athletes as provided to The Herald by the athletics directors of the area schools.

The idea to recognize these individuals in the paper didn't come until the school year was over. Teachers and students were ready for their respective breaks.

We considered waiting until next year, establishing uniform criteria and listing procedures, but we felt it was too important and unfair to wait until next spring (that's why there are differences in how the schools calculate what makes a three-sport athlete and what information they provided).

If names were missed, first please accept our apology. Then, notify us and we'll be sure to recognize them in a future edition.

– The Herald thanks Missy Shores (BCHS), Matt Pearman (CHS), Frances Moore (Fuqua Athletics Secretary), Lewis “Skeeter” Fore (Fuqua) and Rodney Kane (PECHS) for providing these lists. See below for the complete listings.

* denotes four-sport athletes

Buckingham

Tyshell Chambers: volleyball, basketball, softball

* Kassie Conway: cheerleading, cross country, basketball and track

Mackenzi Crump: cheerleading, basketball, softball

Robyn Davis: volleyball, basketball, softball

Elynn Lee: cheerleading, basketball, softball

Brezhana Reed: volleyball, basketball, track

ShaRhonda Swann: cheerleading, basketball, track

Landon Allen: football, basketball, baseball

Tarian Ayers: football, basketball, track

Antonn Briley: football, basketball, track

Trey Chandler: cross country, golf, baseball

Camre Johnson: football, basketball, baseball

*Jamese Payne: football, cross country, basketball, track

Kenneth Johnson: football, basketball, track

Kyree Koonce: football, basketball, baseball

Russell Taylor: football, basketball, soccer

Caleb White: football, basketball, baseball

Cumberland

I-Mecka Anderson: cross country, basketball, track

*Ivy Arbaugh: volleyball, cross country, basketball, softball

*Iesha Byakatonda: volleyball, cross country, basketball, track

*Rachel Jackson: volleyball, cross country, basketball, softball

Kayla Morrison:fall cheer, winter cheer, softball

Mackenzie Parker: volleyball, basketball, softball

*Ashton Showalter: volleyball, cross country, basketball, softball

Dajon Booker: football, basketball, baseball

Devonte Booker: football, basketball, track

Dione Booker: football, basketball, baseball

John Brandt: golf, scholastic bowl, soccer

*Joevaun Brown: football, wrestling, basketball, baseball

Arthur Byrd: football, wrestling, track

Jermaine Copeland: football, wrestling, track

Mason Dukes: cross country, wrestling, track

Tyler Garrett: football, golf, baseball

Justin Haislip: football, basketball, track

Matthew Horton: cross country, wrestling, track

Antonio Richardson: football, wrestling, track

Aaron Sims: football, wrestling, track

Sean Thornton: cross country, wrestling, track

Markee Trent: cross country, wrestling, track

Jamal Watson: football, basketball, baseball

Bryant Winbush: football, basketball, baseball

Fuqua

Michaela Atkinson: fall cheer, winter cheer, tennis

Caroline Bryant: volleyball, basketball, softball

Charlotte Cave: volleyball, basketball, softball

Kari Davis: fall cheer, winter cheer, softball

Lindsey Davis: fall cheer, winter cheer, softball

Tatum Davis: volleyball, basketball, softball

Mary Denaro: fall cheer, winter cheer, softball

Stacy Dixon: fall cheer, winter cheer, tennis

Aurelie Foster: fall cheer, winter cheer, tennis

Carter Gantt: fall cheer, winter cheer, softball

Torey Jackson: volleyball, basketball, track

Taylor Kelly: fall cheer, winter cheer, softball

Emalee Klein: cross country, basketball, track

Casey Meadows: cross country, basketball, softball

Karleigh Pepper: fall cheer, winter cheer, softball

Anna Ragland: cross country, swimming, track

Taylor Schmidt: volleyball, basketball, softball

Peyton Wall: fall cheer, winter cheer, track

Macie Ware: volleyball, basketball, softball

Colin Ah: cross country, swimming, track

Simon Barth: football, swimming, soccer

Carter Cunningham: football, basketball, baseball

Kraig Green: football, basketball, baseball

LeVon Harper: football, basketball, soccer

Jake Jackson: football, swimming, soccer

Seth Jackson: football, basketball, soccer

Jai Jamerson: football, basketball, baseball

Thorben Kollmeier: football, swimming, soccer

Logan McDonald-Byrd: cross country, basketball, baseball

Matthew McKay: football, basketball, baseball

Joel Mettaelae: football, basketball, golf

Charles Williams: football, basketball track

Prince Edward

McKenzie Brastow

Shadae Childress

Allison Dalton

Katrina Lowe

Taylor Reinson

Tia Sydnor

Jennifer Thomson

Ashlee Todt

Rebecca Zeledon

Walter Christmas Jr.

Timothy Dumminger

George Evans Jr.

Darius Ford

Keiston France

Tyrek Goode

James Winfield Jones Jr.

Ralick Lockett

Raheem Nash

Rashaad Walton

*Dante Wardell