The end of August is almost here and it seems like time is flying by! School started a couple weeks ago, high school football games start this week, and our fall training programs are about to begin! This time of the year can become hectic, especially for student athletes playing a fall sport. Going from working out all summer to actually practicing and playing games, all on top of school, can be hard to handle. Welcome to the life of a student athlete.
Student athletes have the obligation to first and foremost focus on their academics. The STUDENT part always comes first. Without success in the classroom, athletes will never have success on the field. However, this is easier said than done. Balancing academics and sports is pretty challenging. Luckily, there are ways student athletes can be proactive in becoming successful in both!
Ways to manage your time as a student athlete
Create goals
The first thing every student athlete needs to do is set goals. These goals should be focused on both school and sports, and should entail everything you want to accomplish. Whether it’s getting a certain GPA, studying x amount of hours every day/week, or becoming a starter on your team, these goals will help you stay accountable and organized to accomplish success!
Once you’ve come up with your goals, it’s up to you to determine how you will accomplish them. Will you stay after practice to get extra work in? Will you get to school a little earlier and ask a teacher for help? Whatever your goals are, you have to figure out the best ways to achieve them!
Create and maintain a schedule
To be efficient with your time, it’s a good idea to create and maintain a consistent schedule. One of the best ways to do this is by utilizing a calendar or planner. With these, you can map out your entire schedule, when you practice, when you have homework due or an exam, etc. This allows athletes to visually see everything they need to get done during the week, and help them stay ahead in school!
Communicate
Another way athletes can stay on top of everything is by simply communicating. It’s never good for athletes to get behind in school, which is why communication with teachers is so important. Whether that be going in and asking for additional help, or letting them know that you will miss class due to a road game, teachers view athletes who communicate well as athletes who care about their grades.
Get good sleep
Lastly, there's no better way to stay on top of things than getting good rest each night. This is certainly true for student athletes. To perform well in both school and your sport, getting quality sleep each night is so important! Student athletes should be trying to get at least 8-10 hours of sleep each night. This will help your body recover quicker, as well as keep your mind focused during the school day!
As school and fall sports seasons start picking up more and more over the next couple of weeks, it’s important that each student athlete is doing what is necessary to be successful in both. Use the student athlete tips to better manage your time and stay ahead!
At Warren Academy, we strive to not only produce better athletes, but better individuals in all aspects of life. If you are interested in signing your young athlete up for one of our sports performance programs, give us a call today!
