With papers scattered and books open, sophomore Matthew Garza reads his AP World History study guide. After a long day of swimming, running and school, his eyes are heavy. As the clock strikes 1 a.m., he is just getting started.

“I make time to study, to take notes and write things down, whether it means skipping a practice or only getting four hours of sleep because I stayed up until 1 a.m.,” he said. “School comes first above everything else.”

Garza is juggling two varsity teams at the same time.

“Being on varsity as a sophomore feels the same as last year,” Garza said. “I just can perform better.”

He balances both sports at the same time.

“To be honest, I don’t think I could choose (between swimming and cross country),” Garza said. “I’ve been doing both for so long it’s like they are a part of me. It’s almost like they are my right and left arm; they are just a natural part of who I am.”

His schedule also includes AP classes.

“Matthew is an over-achiever in the classroom as well as in the athletic arena,” Coach Cinda Baer said. “(He) approaches practice and the meets the same way.”

He trains throughout the year.

“Swimming is a year round sport so I train with my high school team and then during the summer I swim with my club team, MAC, at the Natatorium,” Garza said.

Besides running for the school, he exercises in his free time.

“Running on the other hand does have an off season, so when I’m not training with my school’s Cross Country or Track Team, I run on my own usually five to six times a week,” Garza said.

Last year, he was also in the band program but soon quit.

“Band was one of my favorite things in the world, but it wasn’t something I wanted to do my whole life,” Garza said.

In the end, he said he felt it was a practical decision.

“I knew that my sophomore year I had to pick between running, swimming and band,” Garza said. “The way I saw it, running and swimming were my life, while band was more of a hobby. When it came time to choose, I chose my athletics.”

Baer said Garza is her top runner.

“Most freshmen don’t come in to high school and make an immediate impact or lead the team, for that matter,” she said. “(I) know he will be successful long into the future.”