Dedication in College

Many athletes have hopes of playing a sport in college. This is a dream tons of athletes around the world share. Some have higher aspirations of going professional and earning a living off their talent and hard work. While going to college for sports is great, you must know the dedication it takes. There are many things you need to take into consideration before you jump right into the whole college athlete thing.

High school sports are very different than college sports. The coaches in college take sports much more seriously, most of the time. These coaches are payed the big bucks to train you for your years in college. Playing a sport in college is a year-long dedication. As long as you are a part of the team, you will always have some responsibilities. this includes working out in the off season, going to open gyms, and practicing daily for long periods of time when in-season. The responsibilities of playing in college are much higher and something athletes need to take very seriously, especially if you have a scholarship. 

Knowing I am a high school athlete shows that I have not learned and experienced these things for myself. I imagine the amount of commitment to your sport depends on the school you go to and the division your sport is in. Division 1 sports seem to be the biggest commitment, while maybe a division 3 school is still very committed, but a lot less stressful. When it comes to choosing a college to go to there are a lot of things to take into consideration. The NCAA website shows sample questions to ask yourself when debating colleges. Not only is stress, commitment, and responsibility of playing a sport important, but going to a school that suits your hopes for your future.

Playing sports in college takes a lot of dedication, no matter the school, if you hope to be successful. The amount of effort you put in will ultimately determine how far you go in the sport. Each school has different levels of commitment to their sport. When choosing a college it is extremely important to think about your life later on. Don't choose a school simply for athletics. Make sure it fits the subject you want to go into and make smart decisions. College is supposed to be the first step towards adulthood, so don't screw it up.

Running: My Stress Reliever

Many people bash running, because they think it is extremely boring or too much work. One thing I have found about running is that it provides me with a time for myself. I can go out on a run and not have a care in the world and be away from everyone including my family. Sometimes it is nice to not have to constantly be around people and have time to actually hear your own thoughts. Running provides me with alone time to listen to music, think about life, and forget all my worries.

One thing that is great about going on runs is that you control your pace. No one is next to you from the track team, or just one of your friends that want to speed it up or slow it down. If you all of a sudden aren't feeling like running, you can walk. If you want to run as fast as you can, you can do that too. No one is next to you trying to have a conversation that you're simply not interested in. I'm sorry, but some days I do not feel like talking to anyone. I don't mind listening to conversations, but when I run I am running to be with myself. Track is a different story though.

During track season I dread going out to run most days, because I don't like to think of running as an assignment. Your coach says you must run a certain distance or keep a certain pace for a certain amount of time. I'm a runner that just likes to go out and run for fun. This gets rid of my stress and gives me something to work on alone. Track is great and truly pushes you to the limits, but I guess I am more interested in running just to run.

I encourage everyone to try running in your free time to see if it can be a stress reliever for yourself as well. If not, at least you tried it. I think every person needs to find one thing that provides comfort and calms them down when they are not having a great day. Everyone needs something to fall back on when times get hard. Finding this stress reliever will be extremely beneficial and help you not be so overwhelmed. There are many things that help get people's minds off of work, school, sports, etc. This might include running, knitting, cooking, reading, lifting, listening to music, or watching television. Each person has something they love to do in their free time and this can become your escape from reality.

The Life of an Athlete

Many athletes know the struggle of keeping up with their social life, academics, and sports. It is very difficult to spend eight hours at school, go to a two hour practice right after school, then be expected to go home and do at least two hours of homework each night, and make time for friends. The weekend is usually the only source of free time you will get, but even then you sometimes can't hang out. 

Athletes sometimes have weekend practices, which interfere with other plans. Some people might also put off all the homework due at a later date for the weekend. I know I am guilty of this and find myself in piles of homework every Sunday night. Not only do I have homework and sports on the weekend, but I also have to work six hour shifts on Sunday's sometimes. With football games on Friday nights, the only day I have free to do homework is Saturday. Sometimes you just need a break from everything. This is why planning your week is very important.

I think all student athletes should dedicate one day on the weekend to homework and the other day to do whatever you want. I think it is extremely important to have a break in the middle of the week to provide some relief to the stress of having so much to do. I know that I sometimes get super stressed out and start to freak out at night when I am overwhelmed with everything. Taking a day off to not think about school and sports is something I could definitely use.

Not all people have the option of taking off a day during the weekend. This can be solved by simply trying to get homework done before Sunday night. This will ensure a good night sleep on Sunday and give you a couple of hours before to just relax. I think it is very important for people to simply be lazy every once in a while. There comes a point where you just need to lay in your bed and do absolutely nothing. I find the biggest relief from stress to be simply laying in my bed thinking about nothing. It sounds ridiculous, but I just need some time to myself.

The importance of education is so very high that it can sometimes be very overwhelming. Sports and school might be a top priority for student athletes, but you need to think about yourself first. You need to be happy. Don't think about all your responsibilities for one second and just do what you want. It's not worth doing if it won't benefit you in the long run. Your happiness comes before others and if that means taking a day off from homework then do it. I do not mean ditch the homework altogether, but choose another day to finish it. Planning your week can be very beneficial and is something I think all student athletes should use and take advantage of.

The State Tournament

Many athletes dream of participating in the State Tournament or becoming state champs. The feeling you get while playing at state is unexplainable and such a wonderful experience. With the fans in the stands and other teams competing next to you, you can't help but smile. The State Tournament is a great experience and something every athlete should look forward to if given the opportunity. There are many things that make State so great and worth the hard work.

The first reason making it to State is a terrific experience is because, well, you made it to state! Anyone should be proud of making it to state and working hard throughout the season. State is a great accomplishment and a place to make memories.

Another reason going to state is great in so many ways, is that you get to play next to the best teams out there. There is not a bad team that will be easy to beat. You can't really be in a bad mood. You get to just go out there, have fun, and work your butt of to advance in the tournament. While there is a team that must lose, it is still a great feeling knowing your team made it this far. 

The third reason going to state is a wonderful experience is that you get to watch other teams up close and feel special for a day. You get to experience the fans firsthand and be around people who are there to support you. The State tournament is exciting, yet a little nerve wracking. Your nerves push you to do better, and the adrenaline gets you going. Playing at State might be one of your best games, because you are so happy to be there. Don't be nervous. Just have fun and do what you know best. It is not something to stress over.

The state tournament is something all teams should strive for and experience at least once in their life. Through hard work and dedication, any team can accomplish this goal. It is something you will keep with you forever. Keep working hard and you will eventually get to make one of the best memories of your high school career. 

Watching Film

One thing that might really benefit teams is watching film. I know many sports teams do this to see the tendencies of their opponents and scout the best players of the opposing team. I think watching film is extremely beneficial to a team's preparations both mentally and physically. This allows teams to create a good mindset and physically make changes according to the other team's tendencies. How do teams get film though? Why is film good to have? There are many factors that make film a necessity to some sports teams.

One reason film seems like a necessity is because it provides preparation for your team's physical state. By watching film on other teams you can see their normal plays and how they react in certain situations. This will help your team make changes in practice that could terminate the other team. Knowing what you need to change is very helpful. Physical preparation is extremely important, but so is mental preparation.

Mental preparation can play a key role in your team's performance. If your mind is not in the game, things will probably not go well for you. When team's watch film it can prepare you for what will actually happen at the game. By seeing the players' body language and reactions, you can imagine yourself playing against them. If you imagine yourself winning, you are taking the next step towards success. 

There are many ways teams can get film on other teams. There are websites like Hudl that give you access to other teams' videos if they choose to share it. Some teams might not have film on themselves and you won't ever have access, until maybe the state tournament if you are participating. I know that for volleyball it is required for all teams to provide their opponent with film of their last game. This makes it easy for teams to scout you, but you also have the capability to scout them.

If I were a coach, watching film would be a regular thing. I like knowing who I’m going to be playing and seeing how they carry themselves. It is nice to feel mentally and physically prepared in stressful situations. By watching film, I feel more comfortable and play more like myself. I think teams should definitely take advantage of watching film if they are given the opportunity. The benefits of watching film range from physical to mental preparation and provide a sense of comfort among athletes.

Run Throughs

Many sports teams practice right before the big game. They like to warm up a little and go over how they are going to defeat the other team. I have had many people come up to me and ask about run throughs. Why do you have them? What are they for? Why can't you just warm up before the game? These are just some of the many questions people ask us volleyball players. There are many reasons why volleyball players need and benefit from a run through.

One reason our coach has run throughs is to go over plays and to discuss how we are going to defeat our opponent. A run throughis basically an extra practice right before the game. We need this time to go through our different rotations and use our teammates to simulate the actual game. We can act like the other team and do the same tendencies they will do. We know how the other team plays, because we watch film on them and scout their main players.

Another reason run throughs are extremely important is because it gets you mentally prepared. Knowing that in a couple hours you will be out on the court needing to terminate these skills can get to you. This prepares you for the game and can set the tone for your actions later on. It is important to have a high speed run through to get the blood flowing and some adrenaline pumping. This not only gets you excited, but thinking about the plays even more.

The last reason run throughs are extremely important is that it allows you to practice with your team one last time before the game, without it being a high stake thing. Run throughs allow you to make mistakes and fix them accordingly. This lets your mind relax and know that you are capable of more than you think. 

Run throughs are really just there for us volleyball players to take some time to relax, think about our plays, and get a little warm up going. The actions taken at run throughs can lay the foundation for the game and ultimately affect how you play. They are extremely important, yet they provide a sense of comfort. Everyday practice should be fun, competitive, and focused. Your mind needs to be in an uncomfortable position for you to make a change. Run throughs can bring comfort and discomfort, because the nerves are finally setting in. Overall run throughs are there to provide a type of support for athletes.