Injuries

Most athletes know that at some point in their athletic career they might get injured. This is just a part of playing sports to many. Most people who are deciding whether or not to go out for a sport think of how they can get injured, but you can get injured doing anything. There are many ways to prevent injuries and deal with them.

A very popular injury is tearing your ACL. This is an injury that many athletes have gone through because of multiple reasons including the way you land and stop. You can work towards preventing this by doing ACL prehab. ACL prehab includes many different versions of jumping and landing exercises. I do not know much about this injury, but by taking the extra time to work on your landing every couple days you can make it less likely you tear your ACL. This doesn't necessarily mean it won't happen to you though.

Another way to prevent serious injuries is by stretching. Many people think stretching is a waste of time or they are already flexible and don't need to do it. Stretching is an important aspect of any athlete's life. Stretching isn't just for increasing flexibility. It warms up your muscles and prepares them for practice. If you don't stretch before your workout you could seriously tear a muscle.

I have known many people with many different injuries. They might not do the same things to help heal them and get back on track, but there are ways to deal with it. By going to a physical therapist you can start your rehabilitation process. People should not be scared of injuries when deciding to play a sport, because it is bound to happen if you don't take the right precautions. By taking the right precautions your likelihood of being injured is lower.

Unfortunately, injuries come with playing sports. It is something to consider if you want to play a certain sport, but shouldn't be what ultimately determines your decision. Injuries can be dealt with depending on how serious they are. If you want to be an athlete you must accept the fact that people get hurt, and that's the cold, hard truth.

Sports and School

Some people might say sports are an escape from school. Athletes might tell you practice is all they look forward to all day long. No one wants to sit through seven hours of learning new things you don't really care about, but what if I told you school and sports are similar in a way? The two things bring different levels of enjoyment, yet are so alike in the way they teach.

One way school and sports are similar is in terminology. In both sports and school you must learn certain words in order to get through a certain class or drill. Knowing your terminology is extremely important if you want to understand what is happening. Your coach might use terminology in a drill and you must know what it means in order to fulfill the job.

Homework is another similarity between school and sports. Although, sports homework is disguised as "film" or "extra practice" it is still something you must do on your own time. Homework in school is extremely important to do, because not only does it boost your grade, but help your long term memory. This is exactly the way sports film works as well. It prepares you for a game by making you point out certain plays and memorizing the other team's defense. Homework or film can benefit your success as an athlete and student.

The last two ways school and sports are similar is how much time you put into them and practice. Without practice sports would be a lot more difficult. This is a way to help athletes improve every single day. By going to school you are essentially practicing your skills and applying them every day. This practice will help your improvement process and without it you couldn't pass your test or win the game. School and sports also involve a lot of time being put in. Student athletes must go to school for approximately seven hours then go to a two or three hour practice. After all of this they must do their homework, whether it is actual worksheets or watching film. The time you must put in and manage is huge.

Most people would rather not compare sports and school to each other, but it is important to acknowledge that they both are tools to help you in the future. Whether you want to go to school for a sport or just simply graduate, you must be able to manage your time, finish homework, and know your information. Both school and sports will benefit your life later on. They both push you to do your best and can help you accomplish great things later on.

Team Effort

One of the reasons many people decide to go out for a sport is because their friends are playing. Friends have a huge impact on kids' lives, especially in middle school. I know I made a couple of decisions to play certain sports just because my friends were going out. In middle school all most kids want to do is hang out with their friends. Having teammates that you enjoy being around is extremely important and can set your team up for success. Although some teams have players that don't get along, it is important that they at least respect each other. Sports are a team effort, meaning you must work well with your teammates.

Some athletes might only be worried about themselves and how they perform in a game. This is important to improving, but you must always look at it from a team aspect. The only way you are going to accomplish anything is if your team is improving and prepared to play. Teammates have to work together if they want to win. You don't have to be best friends with your teammates or hang out with them on the weekend, but you must respect them and help them. On the court, or wherever your games are played, you must act like you are friends. This not only will help your team dynamic, but intimidate others by how close your team is. Other teams know when there is controversy among the opposing players.

Another extremely important aspect of playing sports is who you play for. Athletes might say they play for themselves, their parents, their grandparents, or their siblings, but there is really only one group an athlete should be playing for. That group is your teammates. If you aren't giving one hundred percent effort to better the team, then you're playing for the wrong reasons. Yes, it is great to want to improve and accomplish personal goals, but your main focus should be to better the athletes around you. If you don't play for your teammates who's playing for you? Who can you depend on?

The team dynamic of a team is extremely important, but it isn't the only thing. Respect and effort can go a long way. Your teammates should be able to depend on you for anything, otherwise the trust is broken and it's hard to get it back. By playing for your teammates you can be a dependable athlete and always have others to count on as well. Remember, your team is a second family. Treat them like it.

The Road to State

Almost all athletes I know want to make it to state for whatever sport they're in. If they don’t, their teammates or they must have given up. This is something many athletes look forward to and try to achieve. Going to state is a common goal of many sports teams and can be very challenging. The focus of practice sometimes might have to do with this goal of going to state. Other sports teams shoot higher, and aim to become the state champions. Whether your goal is to simply make it to state or win it there are two very important skills to have. You must be physically and mentally ready.

Obviously if your team wants to make it to state you need to be physically capable of beating the other teams. This comes with time and if your teammates push every day you will begin to see improvements. A team must work together and push each other every day and never give up or take it easy. Physical capability is possible for everyone to achieve. Anyone can show up each day and put their body to the test, but can they back that up with confidence?  It's mental toughness that truly makes or breaks a team.

Mental toughness can be perceived in many different ways. A team must have players who are ready to overcome that mental bump in the road. To be able to achieve your goals every single person on your team must truly believe in every single player. Before you actually succeed at something you must imagine yourself doing well first. Mental strength, in my opinion, is much harder to obtain than physical strength. Anyone can show up to the gym and slowly improve. It takes a truly dedicated and honest person to be able to be mentally tough.

Believing in yourself is the first step towards achieving your goal and putting that belief into others will benefit your team tremendously. Yes, being able to terminate each play and be smart with your actions is important, but the confidence behind it needs to be there as well. Without the belief that you can do something how can you truly live up to your potential? Being confident can enhance your performance tremendously and push you further than your goals. Mental toughness will benefit you and your team. Behind every great athlete is someone who puts their faith into their teammates.

Cross Fit

Are you an athlete who loves to compete and the adrenaline rush of working out? Cross Fit might be for you. Although I have never in my life done Cross Fit or been to a Cross Fit gym, I have heard many rumors about it. I have had multiple friends come up to me and ask if I'm going to do Cross Fit or if I ever have. Some coaches tell their athletes Cross Fit is good while others say it is bad. Why is there so much controversy over working out?

While there are many people who might have different opinions, I have come to my own conclusion that Cross Fit is not for everyone. With so much controversy over this topic, I understand that only some athletes can take the pain and have the endurance to achieve this goal. An article on Rodale Wellness discusses the many benefits of participating in Cross Fit. This includes great cardiovascular conditioning, an increase in joint mobility, an increase in how many calories you burn, and making new friends on your new team. People who enjoy Cross Fit love to work out and will push themselves to do anything. Some people, unfortunately, cannot fulfill their goals.

Another article I found on LiveStrong discusses the many hardships of this workout. The writer talks about the many repetitions and how their body becomes fatigued. They ultimately gave up, because their body felt so weak. Some people do not have the endurance or motivation to keep pushing themselves to their maximum power. An athlete who pushes their bodies and gives one hundred percent every day is a very valuable player, but there comes a time when too much determination can get the best of you. Every single person needs to know what their body is capable of and play to that boundary. It's not worth the harm to over-work yourself.

Cross Fit is a very popular place to work out and get stronger both mentally and physically every day. I do not support nor oppose the business, because it benefits and harms only certain people. Cross Fit is a great choice if y7our body is up for the challenge, I'd say if you're an athlete try it out and see if it's something for you. It doesn't hurt to try. You might even find yourself a new family-like environment and second home to spend your time at.

Maintaining a Healthy Diet

An extremely important factor when it comes to being an athlete is maintaining a healthy diet. There are many healthy choices when deciding what you are going to consume for the day. This may include any type of fruit, vegetable, meat, and wheat/grain. Although not everyone likes to follow the rules of the food pyramid, there are many ways to make healthy and delicious choices.

One of my favorite things to make is a smoothie. You can never go wrong with smoothies. There are so many flavors and choices of fruit to choose from. No matter your taste in fruit, there is something for you. Smoothies have the option of blending fruit or vegetables. You can even blend a little of both and the results are delicious! Another thing to add to smoothies is yogurt, juice, or milk. Yogurt is extremely good for your body and can create a more creamy taste. The choice between juice and milk is dependent on your preference. All of these ingredients are healthy and can benefit your body. Another ingredient many athletes choose to add is protein powder. Protein powder is just another way to get your source of protein in for the day, and makes breakfast a lot easier.

Protein powder is something I see handfuls of athletes use. It can be used in smoothies, as I stated, or you can create your own protein shake. I have seen plenty of people with blender bottles at school who simply blend their protein with water and drink it for breakfast. I'm not quite sure about the healthy aspect of the powder, but it is definitely a trend at the moment. This might just be the way you get your protein for the morning. I have heard many things about the benefits of protein powder before working out. WebMD can be used to help you make a choice on what kinds of protein to use based on your preferences and characteristics. 

Choosing your meals for the day can become extremely difficult when you are faced with other tempting options. There are many tasty options out there, but some of them are extremely unhealthy and will not benefit your body in any way other than moderation. Yes, as most people say everything is good in moderation, but there comes a point when enough is enough. No one is going to steer clear of every single unhealthy food, but if you are wanting to make improvements in the gym you must be willing to give up constantly snacking on some of your favorite foods.

The One Thing All Athletes Need

There are many characteristics that are important to have when you are an athlete. This may include being kind, caring, determined, motivated, committed, and coachable. The one thing that I think is vital to every athlete is having a positive attitude. This characteristic will follow you through life and benefit you in every single way.

Yes, it is important to be coachable, motivated, and committed, but what do all of those characteristics come from? Having a positive attitude gives athletes the will to be coachable, motivated, and committed. An athlete with a negative attitude is not going to listen to his/her coach or want to do their best at practice each day. They will look at themselves and give up or blame others for their mistakes. This will create an athlete who ultimately does not care and doesn't really want to play anymore.

Positive energy on the court/field has an enormous impact on you and your team. It can send energy to the crowd or build up adrenaline in your teammates. This will get you pumped to play and others will begin to realize why they play sports. Sports are supposed to be fun. They aren't supposed to be something you dread or even think of as a waste. These are the effects of negativity, whether it's your own or someone else's on your team. 

Nothing good comes from negativity. This only tears down a team's confidence and makes them over think. Positivity is extremely important when wanting to succeed at anything. You are not always going to achieve your highest goal, but it is important to work at it. Anything is possible and with a positive attitude you might surprise yourself. If you don't succeed, at least you had fun doing it.

When it comes down to having a positive attitude there are two things to take into consideration. For one, think about how it will affect you and your teammates on and off the court. Second, think about your experiences playing. Would you rather have good memories or bad memories about playing the sport you love? Your attitude isn't something that only affects you. Take your teammates into consideration. 

The Off-Season

Sports are a fun way to keep busy during the school year and make new friends, but it's not always just to stay busy. A lot of athletes are extremely committed to the sports they play and are looking to pursue a career in college. These athletes probably have become extremely good at what they do because they work hard in and out of season. The off-season is just as important, if not more, than the regular season.

During your off-season it is extremely important to lift weights and eat healthy. Basically you must stay in shape so that what came easy to you in-season stays easy to you in your off-season. No one likes to come back to their sport and not be in shape enough to do their drills. Yes, it will take some getting used to, but staying fit will help you get in the groove faster. Eating healthy can impact your performance greatly, but remember everything is good in moderation.

Some off-season activities might include running, stretching, and lifting regularly. It is also important you do some of your sports activities as well. Go to open gym or pass a ball around every once in a while. Skill level depends on how much time you are willing to invest. More time is spent off-season than in-season. Lifting can also contribute a ton to your individual performance. Every athlete could use a little more muscle or a little more quickness. Lifting will help athletes become stronger, but can only help if you are lifting the correct way. It is extremely important to have good form when lifting. If you lift properly, your body will benefit extremely.

While off-season activities are extremely important, I understand that some athletes choose to participate in club sports. This is a good way to stay busy as well and know you are preparing for school season. Club is basically a substitute for off-season training. Taking this into consideration, between your club season and school season you should still be attending open gyms or exercising as much as you can to get in school mode.

I cannot exaggerate the importance of staying in shape in your off-season. It is important to continue exercising and practicing healthy choices when not involved in sports. Not making the most of your time will catch up to you in the long run. Keep working hard and setting goals. They are waiting to be achieved. 

Guys vs. Girls

We all know sports are separated by gender. Most sports are categorized by gender, but some sports are exclusive to one. For example football is aimed towards males and volleyball is aimed towards females, in certain states. In Iowa volleyball is more common among females, but in nearby states, like Illinois, they have both men's and women's school volleyball. Why are sports separated by gender? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?

Sports are separated by gender, because females and males have different strengths and weaknesses. It might even be a little weird to compete with or against opposite genders, especially in basketball or football where the amount of contact is heavy. When looking at state qualifiers you might notice that women have worse statistics than men. This can be shown at a regional track meet. What seems to be an exceptionally good time for a women's race might be twenty seconds slower than the average male time. Guys might tell you you're slow or that your time is easy to reach, but in all reality it was just as hard for you to achieve that time as it was for them to achieve theirs. I do not believe that anyone should ever tell another person they aren't good enough, because both could be giving the same amount of effort. Sometimes athletes simply have more skill or it comes easier to them. No one should ever be put down because they don't exceed other people's expectations.

Another topic that comes up when thinking about male and female sports is pay for being on a professional team. It has been shown that women do, on average, get paid less than men do. Is this because of discrimination or is it just something that eventually happened? I think that men get paid a higher amount of money, because their sporting events draw more people in. Men's sports, I'm sure, generate more money from their ticket sales and sporting events than women. Even in high school male sports are more dominant when it comes to how many fans show up. Football games are a lot more popular than volleyball games, but that doesn't mean no one shows up. I would say track and swimming, both male and female, have scarce fans in the crowd. Swimming as a whole is not as popular. The preference of the fans is ultimately what determines the athlete's pay. 

When it comes down to examining girl sports versus guy sports, guy sports dominate in most aspects. They are usually faster, quicker, and stronger on average. This doesn't mean some girls aren't stronger or quicker or faster than guys. It's just a fact. Men's sports are more entertaining to our population and that is why pay and attendance are not equal. This doesn't make women's sports less important or men's sports better. This simply shows our population's interests. If it were the other way around would there be this much fuss? 

Family Bond

Family is an important part of my life and is probably an important aspect of yours as well. Your family is a group of people that you are close to and will always have. You know you can count on them for anything. Families may fight, but in the end everyone always has each other's back. Sports can have this family-like environment and be a second home to many. Friends become family when spending an entire season, or in some cases all year round, with your teammates. How can having a second family be beneficial?

Having a second family can be very beneficial when it comes to trying to improve sports-wise. Knowing whatever happens at your game/race will not change the way your friends and teammates view you can drive you to excel and improve your game a ton. Not only will you enjoy practice a lot more, but you will want to improve even more. This improvement will be desirable not only for yourself, but for your teammates and the team as a whole. Overall your experience as an athlete will be a lot better.

            Another reason the family feel of a sports team is great is because you can make lifelong friends. Starting out on a new team can be scary, but might turn out to give you your best friend. Your teammates can become the people you eat lunch with or hang out with on the weekends. The chemistry of a team can ultimately determine how successful a team is. Unfortunately, if you and your teammates do not get along very well your team could pay the price. It is important that teammates aren't always selfish and play to better the team.

The benefits of having a second family can make you feel like you fit in more at school. Not only does this make athletes look forward to practice at the end of the day more, but makes sports more enjoyable. No one wants to play a sport with people they dislike and don't get along with. It's nice to have a friend by your side when competing for the same goal. The memories you creates will be much greater if you have a best friend by your side to relive them with. 

Being Competitive

A crucial characteristic to have when it comes to playing sports is being competitive. This drives athletes to obtain and accomplish their goals. Without competition sports wouldn't be fun. Imagine a stadium full of fans that didn't care if their team won, let alone the athletes not caring. This would bring no adrenaline rush or intensity to the game. I believe every athlete out there has, or at least should have, some type of competitive bone in their body. Where do you draw the line though?

When trying to be competitive and scare away the competition you should do it in a respectful manner. This includes having good sportsmanship, and not doing anything that will seriously harm an athlete’s self-esteem or physical state. Being respectful will not only make you look like a better athlete to your teammates, but it will make you more desirable to coaches and other teams will respect you as well. An athlete who knows his/her boundaries as a respectable person will benefit in every way. 

Though being competitive means being respectful, it also means having fun and simply playing for the love of the game. Athletes can be competitive and have the desire to win without harming others. Granted, athletes will get hurt and there's not much you can do about it. If you want to look intimidating there are other ways to go about it. An athlete’s posture/stance has a huge impact on how they are perceived by other athletes. By simply having a straight and determined face you can get into other athletes' heads. This causes no physical harm, but causes others to over think their playing. Some people, however, react positively to a little friendly competition and can rise to the occasion.

The main reason people play or watch sports is for the competition aspect of it. Yes, many people simply love the game and that's all there is to it for them, but others love the adrenaline rush and strive to overcome the physical and emotional barriers involved in playing. The competitiveness of the game is why some athletes pursue their career. Nothing can come between an athlete and their love of the game and their desire to win. Being competitive is an extremely important characteristic to have in the world of sports, but there's no denying the passion shown through athletes who truly and whole-heartedly love the sport they play. "Somewhere behind the athlete you've become and the hours of practice and the coaches who have pushed you is a little girl who fell in love with the game and never looked back... play for her." -Mia Hamm (Life Daily)

Taking Care of Your Body

When it comes to excelling at sports most people think of the basic "practice makes perfect". While practice is very important to being successful, so is taking care of your body. Athletes can do this in many ways. Not only does an athlete need to stay hydrated, but have a good personal hygiene and take care of their muscles.

Staying hydrated is an important aspect in trying to make improvements. Hydration is the key to improving any activity. According to FamilyDoctor.org your body is not capable of performing at its highest level if you are not properly hydrated. Throughout your day you should be getting plenty of fluids, and it's your responsibility to make sure that's happening.

Personal hygiene is also extremely important when staying active, because no one wants to play beside a smelly, dirty teammate. Staying clean and creating good habits can make you less self-conscious on the court and more approachable by others. Not only does having a good personal hygiene help with social aspects, but it helps prevent infections or diseases that could be spread. For your sake and everyone else's sake, take on good cleaning habits.

The last thing that is extremely important to setting yourself up for success is stretching and taking care of your muscles. There are many ways you can take care of your muscles. This includes stretching daily, rolling out your muscles, and getting enough sleep. Your muscles need to be rolled out, especially if you are sore in a certain area, and well-rested to prepare for the next day's game/practice. You can use a PVC pipe, a foam roller, or even a small store-bought roller to stretch out your muscles. Dynamic and static stretching can also maintain or increase flexibility, which is important in all sports. Stretching also makes it less likely for you to tear or injure something. This does not mean you won't get hurt, but it is very beneficial and should be practiced frequently. 

Athletes cannot simply show up to practice every day without putting in work outside of the gym/field. If you are truly dedicated and want to excel at your sport you must take care of your body. If you choose not to take care of your body, the consequences could be tragic. Injuries are more likely to happen if you don't stretch. Don't risk your chance at being successful. Be dedicated on and off the court. 

Importance of Coaches

We've all had that one coach we absolutely can't stand. Whether it's because they yell at you a lot, seem lazy, are too nice, or seem to just not care they should be valued. Coaches have a huge impact on their athletes and should be wise about their decisions. Although coaches need to control their frustrations sometimes, so do athletes. I know it can become very difficult to have a good practice when you just can't stand your coach, but there are some things you need to take into account before judging your coach.

First, think of why your coach is even teaching athletes. I don't think someone who doesn't enjoy sports or kids is going to take up a coaching position just for money, because let's face it some coaches don't get paid a ton. While some coaches do get good pay, I still think their reasoning is deeper than that. Your coach is at practice primarily for you. He/she wants to see you succeed and improve just as much as you do. They would not be wasting their time at practice if they did not believe in you. You are the reason they are coaching. Understanding this can make a world of difference.

Second, take into account that your coach has a life outside of the sport you're playing. Coaches can have rough days too. They not only have a job outside of coaching, but probably a family they need to take care. Their time is just as precious as yours. They're not trying to have practice go later, but sometimes it's necessary if you want to see improvement. They make decisions they see best fit for the team.

Finally, think about the reasons your coach is irritating you. I don't think your coach is purposefully trying to annoy you. If they are coaching they aren't going to try and tear you down in any way. No coach wants to see an athlete fail in any way, shape, or form. Whatever they are doing is probably what they believe is going to help you most. They truly care for you, believe it or not.

Remember coaches are available to simply benefit the athlete. If you don't respect your coach you aren't going to get very far in the improvement process. Be grateful for what you have and value your coaches. They are the reason you've got this far and accomplished so much.

Club Sports

Sports aren't something athletes like just because it gets them away from the house or out of school early. Sports are a passion. They are a passion that can lead them in the right direction. While many athletes play school sports all year round, others participate in one and compete on a club team as well. What is a club team you ask? A club team is something you can join to play the sport you love all year.

One reason I encourage one or two sport athletes to go out for club is to simply get better. Obviously if you are only playing one sport it's the one you like the most. Most people who only play one sport wish to play in college as well. Playing on a club team can help you get recruited and enhance your skills tremendously since you will be training all year. Also, playing different teams throughout the year will help you try new things and overall acquire different skills. The fact that you have to tryout to make a club team can create a better dynamic on the team and help athletes improve at a good rate.

Another reason you might want to consider playing for a club is for the traveling aspect. You get to travel to bigger cities or other states to play in tournaments. This is not only extremely fun, but can give you a glimpse of other teams. Sometimes it gets boring playing the same teams over and over again. It's nice to play new teams and adjust to their strengths and weaknesses. This not only sparks competitiveness across the nation, but allows athletes from all over to meet and share experiences. Playing in tournaments can also be a great opportunity for team bonding, which can be some of the greatest memories of your life.

Club season has to be one of the best seasons of the year for me, because I have a team that I get to practice with months on end and create a second family with. The simple fact that it’s longer than school season makes it that much better.  If you truly love the school sport you're in, you will love it even more if you play club. This can sometimes get expensive, but it is definitely worth it if you whole-heartedly love the sport. Not many people have the options you do so don't take that for granted. Appreciate your coaches and teammates every day. 

What Defines a Sport

When it comes to sports there are many controversial topics. This includes what defines a sport. Many people see some sports as not difficult enough and think they should not be considered sports. When it comes to defining what a sport is there are many factors to address. You must take into account the amount of physical activity, mental training, and general skills you must acquire.

The main thing most people think of when it comes to defining sports is physical activity. Many people think it must be a contact sport to even be considered a "real" sport. The amount of physical contact is huge in some people's vision of how sports should be. Others think physical activity alone defines a sport. My opinion is that if the sport you're in has both physical activity and mental training it can be considered a sport. All sports are dependent on your mentality.

My definition of sports includes two factors, but you can only properly categorize sports versus non-sports with the meaning of physical activity. Most hobbies include physical activity, but I think there is a certain amount of activity needed to define a sport. There has been controversy over whether cheer leading is a sport. My belief is that competitive cheer leading can be considered a sport, while school cheer leading cannot. School cheer leading has a loophole though. If your school cheer leading team does stunts I can see how that fits into the sport category. Another thing to think about is warm ups. If your sport requires stretching, because you could get an injury I would definitely label that as a sport. 

The reason I do not see school cheer leading as a sport, if it doesn't include stunts, is because there is really not much skill needed. Yes, it can be considered a sport to some people, but my opinion is that it's not. All you must do is basically clap and cheer. You don't have to have any level of fitness to participate. I know many people disagree with me and I respect that, because everyone can have their own opinion. 

As I said, when it comes to competitive cheerleading with stunts and tournaments I entirely believe that is a sport. Competitive cheerleading looks like a very hard sport. You must be extremely flexible and willing to take risks every day. I'm not trying to make school cheer leading look bad, because they very well can do stunts as well. Basically, if your team does stunts I think it can be considered a sport. If not, I believe it's just an extra-curricular activity.