Back-to-school tips for Omaha-area student athletes

As July wraps up, Omaha area schools are getting ready to head back to school in just a few weeks! Your student athlete may already be in practice or is getting ready to resume training. The youth sports training Omaha professionals at Warren Academy want to help by sharing a few of our top tips.

What can you do to help your student athlete prepare for back to school?

Remind them what being a “student athlete” means.

Reminders can be a very good thing. Since the summer break can lead into the summer slide, it’s always good to reinforce how academics come first.

If you know your student is going to struggle with a certain subject, talk to the school ahead of time about tutoring services that may be available. This will help them from the start, instead of falling behind and needing to catch up.

Set a goal with your child(ren) for them to achieve the best grades they can.

By this, we mean the best grades are achievable with some stretching, but not to the point of them developing ulcers! Let’s face it, you can’t always be the best at everything or get straight-As. Sometimes the best a kid can do is a “B” or a “C” in a class.

Setting goals ahead of time can help students meet the GPA requirements often needed to satisfy in school-sponsored sports.

Get everyone organized.

For many families with one (or more!) student athletes, a family calendar is essential. Tracking school events, major assignments, practices and sporting events can take a lot of planning. However, it will reduce frustrations over time.

Also include syllabi and calendars given to students during the first week of school in the family calendar.

By doing this, it may also help you curb procrastination with your child as you can help them be proactive about projects and major assignments.

Pack their bags and gear ahead of time.

Don’t leave any packing for the morning before school or the afternoon before practice. Plan what you need for the next day (or two or three!) and get things packed ahead of time.

We’ve also found it’s helpful to have a set place for all of this equipment and the extra bags. This way, you know where everything can be found every time you need it!

Get them on a good eating and sleep schedule over the last few weeks of summer.

If you know life is going to be crazy once school starts, get on a good schedule that’s maintainable and less stress-filled. Sleep also plays an important role for students and athletes. Without sleep, there’s a noticeable lack of energy and enthusiasm. Nutrition plays an important role not only in how you play, but also in how you absorb learning and think about new lessons.

***

Warren Academy, powered by DREAM, has been helping student athletes increase their performance, mentally and physically, since 2008. With over 10 years of service, Warren Academy has helped guide hundreds of athletes to college. Interested in learning more about Warren Academy’s youth sports training Omaha programs? Contact us today!