Coppell sophomore middle Saiya Patel runs against Plano West senior middle Karsen Aguirre at Buddy Echols field on Tuesday. Patel is a dual sport athlete who plays on the Coppell soccer and basketball team. 

Not many people can imagine playing sports as if it were a full-time job, but for Coppell sophomore Saiya Patel, that imagination is her everyday reality. 

In addition to being on the Coppell varsity soccer and basketball teams, Patel is also committed to playing left and right winger on the D’Feeters  Soccer Club, which she has been a part of for more than five years. 

With 90-minute practices during school for soccer and basketball, strength and conditioning before school, matches and games for both sports after school and 90-minute club practices twice a week, as well as games on the weekends, Patel’s schedule is nothing short of packed. 

“I’d say I dedicate 30 hours or so to sports every week,” Patel said. “I feel overwhelmed pretty often, but I try to take it step-by-step and plan out what I’m going to do that day.”

The constant exercise may tire others, but Patel has been playing sports for more than a decade. The experience has rewarded her with commendable spots on the Coppell varsity teams, as well as a role as team captain in 2019 for the D’feeters. With the determination her coaches and parents know her to possess, Patel led her team to victory on state, regional and national levels that year.

Juggling an athletically-inclined schedule as well as rigorous academics is a challenge not unknown to many high school students such as Patel. Aside from sports, Patel enjoys volunteering in her spare time with her family. Regardless of her busy life, she finds a way to fit all elements of it in squarely and enjoy it too.

“Getting to play with my teammates is something special to me,” Patel said. “I know there are people who have my back when I play. If I’m having a bad day, I can always count on sports to clear my head.”

But the life of an athlete is not lived all alone. Patel’s parents, Bindi and Amish Patel, are supportive of their daughter’s lifestyle, frequently attending her matches and driving her to where she needs to be on a daily basis.

“[Our schedules] are mainly based on where Saiya needs to be at what time,” Mrs. Patel said. “We were hesitant to allow Saiya to take two sports at once, but she does a very good job of managing her school workload along with her sports. She is not the kind of girl we need to worry too much over.”

Strength, passion and persistence are valuable qualities one would expect an athlete to have, but Patel goes beyond that. Her character shines just as bright as her talent on the field. A good teammate and a good person all around, her dedication to being the best version of herself does not go unnoticed by those around her. D’Feeters coach Adam Flynn notes her growth throughout the many years he has known her. 

“Initially, [Patel] was a quiet, reserved girl,” Flynn said. “As time went on, she matured so much. She’s quick, she’s sharp, and she’s the type of kid that – if she puts her mind to it – she can do anything. Saiya is a genuine person who holds people accountable, and as a coach, that’s our dream.”

Follow Camila Villarreal (@fliipthewriter) and @SidekickSports on Twitter.