Like sports, school is a type of performance, and the process of learning and demonstrating knowledge requires mental skills that parallel those of an athlete, such as focus, analysis, memory, and confidence. Marisa Sandoval Lamb, an English teacher and competitive runner explains the parallels that exist between academic and athletic performance and provides activities to improve student writing. In support of this idea, she has developed an assignment that encourages students to consider what they know, observe, and practice in everyday life and apply it to academic practices. By doing so, students will recognize the ways their analytical skills in athletic performances may be developed and transferred into the classroom to meet their academic needs and, consequently, the demands of college- and career- ready writing standards.