There are some students who want to take part in everything, and some students who want to coast by. Koa Truong, a senior in Cardozo High School, wants his hands in every pot when it comes to success. The teen  manages to balance sports, classes, a job, and all of the work that comes with it.

Truong is on various sports teams at Cardozo. He plays for the varsity football team as the defensive back,  he is on the wrestling team during the winter season, and in the spring, he’s on the boy’s volleyball team. Each season, Truong dedicates two to four hours after school to sports; whether it be on the field, in the wrestling room, or in the gym. 

“My dad has always had a knack for me doing sports and always encouraged me to do what I wanted in high school,” Truong said. “Without him, I wouldn’t have gone out of my bubble to branch out to different sports.”

Between all the sports that Truong plays, he finds volleyball to be the most special one to him. Although he only started volleyball in high school, he still cherishes all his moments with his teammates on and off the courts. 

His teammates from the past two years have had a special place in his heart. “Joseph and Haron gave me advice everyday to improve and spending time with them outside of school was how I got to really know them,” Truong reflected. “I’m glad that we became close friends. They were once my mentors and now we all continue to stay friends even while they are in college.” 

Two of his most cherished memories are winning his first wrestling tournament and winning his first volleyball tournament. 

“Winning my first wrestling tournament felt special, especially after the hard work I put in the whole month to prepare for the tournament finally paid off,” he said. “The guys in wrestling are all there for each other and Mr. Milani is always there to encourage us and talk us through anything we need to.”

Having the right people by your side can make a huge difference, as well. With the right support and friends, Truong has managed to win 7th in city championships for wrestling, a huge achievement. He also shared that he spends a lot of time practicing volleyball. 

“I dedicate a lot of my time and energy to volleyball,” Truong shared. “In my junior year, I won my first tournament as a libero. Going through all the strong opponent teams and coming back from rough losses wasn’t easy but my whole team fought and had spirit. We ended up winning the tournament which was a huge moment for all of us.” 

Although doing sports is a highlight of his day, it’s not the only task that he has to manage. “Needing to worry about my sports, school work, and keeping my grades where they need to be is tough,” Truong explained.

However, he knows that having good time management skills are important to stay on task and get everything done. For students who manage sports and academics, there are ways to get it all done and do it well. “Having a set schedule to follow makes the workload a bit lighter and easy to manage, especially knowing that there is a time for everything,” Truong said.