Time is winding down. Cyclones forward Alex Thompson is working against the clock. It’s a situation he’s played in before. Thompson’s late fourth-quarter 3-pointer against Ohio State helped seal a Big Ten Championship for his then-Iowa Hawkeye teammates just over a year ago. Now, the 6-foot-10-inch forward is facing a different challenge – summer school.

“It’s important,” said Thompson, who is taking a political science class online. “As busy of schedules as we have, going from 12 to 15 hours in class, it’s that extra little bit that’s really hard to make sometimes.”

It’s the tough in-season schedule that forces many athletes like Thompson to hit not only the gym, but also the books during the summer.

“We don’t usually leave the gym till about 6 or 7 o’clock,” said women’s basketball forward Toccara Ross.

Ross said during the women’s basketball season she typically found herself in the classroom until 11 a.m., then at the gym for about six to seven hours. Most of that time is spent watching tape, preparing for the Cyclones’ next matchup and having a team meal.

“Then we do it all over again for eight months,” she said.

Because of the commitments that come with participation in sports, coaches are now looking for their students to find more time to work not only on their game during the summer, but also their schoolwork.

“This puts them in a position where if they can complete a class every summer it certainly aids them in their ability to graduate as quickly as possible,” said ISU men’s coach Greg McDermott.

“It’s a wonderful way to develop some team chemistry in the summertime and spend some time on your academics when the rest of your life might be so busy.”

The summer schedule also provides incoming student-athletes a chance to get ahead and adjust to their new surroundings.

“It’s been a pretty big adjustment,” said incoming freshman Clayton Vette, from Waverly-Shell Rock High School. “I’m really not used to it yet, but hopefully it will be a little better.”

While Vette had gotten used to his new home, the freshman forward has been participating in off-season workouts with his Cyclone teammates. His time in Ames has also allowed him to jump ahead in his pursuit of an elementary education degree by taking six credits during the summer semester.

Because he’ll only be taking 12 credits during the season, Vette hopes his work this summer will keep him on pace to graduate in four years.

“It kind of hit me when I was actually signing up for my classes that I’m taking four classes,” Vette said. “Taking summer classes is going to let me not take those one or two classes during the season.”

Because graduating on time is such a high priority for many athletes, most are encouraged to take between 12 and 15 credits during the season and as many as they can during the summer, said Donald Reed, manager in athletic academic services.

So while Thompson sets up to make his next big shot, Reed said he hopes that the junior forward will get as much support for his next exam.

“We want to make sure they not only receive great support athletically but we want them to receive the same level of intensity and support academically,” he said.

“It brings us great joy to see our student-athletes finish in a timely matter. That’s our goal, to make sure they graduate and are educated very well at Iowa State.”