A typical day in the fall for St. Joseph, Mich., High School senior Nick Grenke is more exhausting than that of the typical student.

Grenke is a rare athlete who plays four sports over the school year. He plays varsity football, wrestling, and track and field. He also plays club hockey.

Grenke's day starts at 5:30 a.m. when he wakes up and heads to school for his zero-hour course, an English he's required to take so he can stay on the newspaper staff. The class ends at approximately 7:30, and Grenke launches into the regular school day at St Joe, which ends at 3 p.m.

"It's pretty tiring and hard to keep up your grades and at the same time play four sports and be the sports editor on the staff," said Grenke, a well-built teenager with curly blond hair. "It should be tougher this year since I'll have more responsibility on the newspaper staff."

Football practice begins after school and sometimes will last until 7 p.m., depending on the coach's mood. Grenke then drives home and studies until 10 p.m.

Grenke has been playing football since third grade. He started at defensive end for St. Joe last season and will man the position again as a senior.

"Football will be a little bit easier this year, not to say I won't be trying as hard, but that I will be a senior and that will ensure my job security," Grenke said.

When football season ends, he heads right into wrestling and hockey. Last year, he wrestled his way to a No. 5 ranking in Michigan at 215 pounds. Meanwhile, he sees his hockey playing as fun and does not take it as seriously as wrestling and football.

Once winter sports end, Grenke heads outside to throw the shot put. Like hockey, he sees track and field as a fun sport -- more of a social activity than football and wrestling.

Besides academics, sports and newpaper editing, Grenke also owns three horses. His favorite is the paint horse named Hawk. He shows Hawk at Wester-style horse shows a few times a year.

"It's really fun, and plus it's a great chick magnet," Grenke said.

As for his future plans, Grenke believes he will be playing college football somewhere next year and received scholarship offers from Wayne State and Hillsdale Collge.

"My dream was to play football for Michigan State, but I'm really too small at my position to play for a big school like that," Grenke said. "If I decide not to go to other schools that offer me scholarships, I might try to go to MSU and walk on."