Sleeping In

Whether you are an athlete or just a high school student, sleep is your best friend. Sleeping in until one in the afternoon seems like a pretty great thing to do on the weekends, but to your parents it is the worst. Everyone has those parents that get angry when you sleep in, because you simply aren't using your time wisely. As a student athlete I believe this is an extremely good use of my time. 

One thing parents do not understand is that athletes do not ever get enough sleep. No matter how much time we get to sleep, we are always tired. Catching up on sleep is extremely difficult. I might get ten hours of sleep one day, which should be plenty, but since I only got five the day before I am still extremely tired. My sleep schedule for that one night does not determine how tired I am on that particular day.

Another reason athletes are always so tired is because some play multiple sports, and even if you don't you still have other responsibilities after school. Whether it is homework or chores there is always something to be done at home after practice. This is not something to complain about, but simply a fact that there is a lot to do in a day. On top of homework, chores, practice, and school you must make time for other things like taking showers or packing bags. If you get home late that means you will be up even later than normal and you might only get a couple hours of sleep. You are then expected to perform just as well as the other days at school and practice. The weekend provides a break for athletes to simply relax.

The last reason I think sleeping in on the weekend is a good idea is because it provides you with a time to relax. You are rejuvenated by the good night's sleep and are taking time off to yourself. This makes for a happier person. Parents wonder why teenagers are always so cranky. They don't get enough sleep!

If you live with a teenager don't be that person who wakes them up early to eat breakfast or simply start the day off. It's a day off. Let them spend it how they want to spend it. Teenagers need to learn how to use their time wisely on their own before going off to college and if they choose to spend the entire day sleeping, then so be it.

Rolling Out

One thing almost every athlete has in common is tight muscles. At some point in your athletic career, whether it is once a month or every day, you have experienced unbelievably tight muscles. They can ache and be extremely painful. If your muscles are not treated properly you can increase the risk of tearing them. Precautions are necessary.

Other than stretching out your muscles, as discussed early on in a different post, there are many ways to take care of your muscles. The way that is my favorite is probably rolling out. Rolling out your muscles is somewhat painful, but in a good way. It hurts, but you know it is something you really need to and should do. You can use a PVC pipe or go buy your own roller for around fifteen bucks. The little cost is definitely worth it. Rolling out your muscles will loosen them and make them feel fresh the next day. I would definitely say I need a roller during track season.

Another way you could take care of your muscles is by icing them. Many people take ice baths to relieve muscle pain. In my opinion ice baths are absolutely horrible while you are in it, but feel absolutely amazing once you are done. It might burn a little while you are waiting out the pain, but your legs will appreciate your patience. They will be fresher than ever the next morning and you will be ready to go.

Taking care of your muscles is extremely important to minimizing tears. If you happen to actually pull a muscle it is important that you do not push yourself too far the next couple of days. There is no point in pushing yourself, to risk a long term injury. Don't be afraid to take the day off. Taking care of your body is the most important thing while playing sports.

Everyone gets tight muscles so it is nothing to be ashamed of or even take lightly. Your body needs to be taken care of and that includes the occasional tight muscle. Rubbing them out might be the best solution for you as an athlete, or rolling them out. Ice baths could be your best friend while in season and stretching could be a minimizing factor. No matter the solution, every single one of those are good options. Athletes have big responsibilities and taking care of their muscles, and entire body for that matter, is just one of them.

Burning Out

While playing sports is a wonderful thing that most athletes dedicate a lot of their time to, it can also become something you do not enjoy as much as before. By playing the game you love a little too frequently, you can become burnt out. By burnt out I mean you seem to have lost the same passion you had before, or motivation in practice. This doesn't have to mean it is no longer something you look forward to throughout the day or enjoy being at, but you simply are not as motivated to succeed as well.

Becoming burnt out of the sport you play is not always going to happen. Some players will simply never lose any motivation, not because they simply love the game more. Some athletes can truly absolutely love the sport they play and still become burnt out. You just play it too much and your body gets bored of doing the same thing over and over again. There are many ways to fix this lack of motivation or enjoyment.

One thing you can do to get back in the groove is by trying a new sport. I like to balance out my schedule by playing more than one sport. This creates new goals in your head and steers your mind away from focusing on one thing. Improving in a different sport might benefit your main one. By running track you could gain endurance or quickness that would benefit your overall play in your main sport. Going from one practice to the other somewhat ensures no chance of getting burnt out.

If this doesn't work for you for some reason you might just need to take a break. If your sport is year long it might get tiring and you just need to do something else. Take a hike, go to the pool, and hang out with your friends. Sometimes you need to forget about all of your responsibilities and just take a day off. This might help you in the long run.

It is very important to keep athletes interested. If an athlete is not one hundred percent ready to go in practice because they feel burnt out, the chances are it will only get worse. It is nothing to be ashamed of if you do become burnt out. It is natural for you to suddenly get bored of the sport you love, no matter how ridiculous it sounds. If you eat your favorite food everyday for every meal you will eventually lose your appetite for it, won't you? This doesn't take away from how much you love it, but simply the fact that you need something new to flare things up.

Cell Phone Policy

While some teams don't get along very well, others can get along maybe a little too well. There are many reasons coaches create a cell phone policy during tournaments and it might be because he or she wants you to interact more with your teammates, or because he wants you to focus on the tournament. Some coaches might use both reasons for instituting a cell phone policy. In the past I have not really ever had a cell phone policy before playing club, but now it plays a big role in my behavior at tournaments.

Making sure you and your teammates stay off your phone can become difficult if someone is attached to their phone. It is important to build chemistry among you and our teammates and in order to do this you must actually interact. Cell phones get in the way of simple discussion and emotions of others. Through texts you can't truly understand how someone is feeling or see the smile on their face. There is something so much better in having a conversation face to face with someone rather than texting them. 

One reason I think having a cell phone policy is a great idea is because it allows for athletes to focus primarily on their games. There aren't any distractions outside of the arena and your mindset is on the game. Even if you talk to your parents it will probably be about how you are playing and they will not mention school or homework.

Another reason I think having a cell phone policy is a good idea is because it forces athletes to interact with their teammates and spend time with them. Yes, you may get tired of each other, but if you are scouting a team together you can discuss how to beat them, if you scout by yourself you might miss things or not have the perspectives of others. Discussing your game plan before warming up can immensely help a team.

While you might be one of those people who likes to sit in the corner with your face in your phone, you should force yourself to get off it. There are so many things you can be missing out on if your face is stuffed into your phone. The real world exists outside of that tiny little screen and athletes need to realize that phones truly aren't that important. The people around you are.

Team Bonding During Tournaments

Team bonding does play a very important role on your team. This can determine, or help the chemistry between you and your teammates. It is great to be close with your teammates and be friends outside of the sport you are playing, but sometimes that isn't always the case. My team for volleyball this year, for example, has had the best team chemistry I have ever seen. Our team is always there for each other, making jokes, having fun, laughing, smiling, and still working harder than ever. Sometimes team bonding can get a little carried away during tournaments though.

What I mean by getting carried away is that it is hard to force yourself to go to sleep early. While we are all friends and want to hang out, there comes a time that we realize why we are where we are. The sport we play has brought us together and it is important to stay focused on the goals for the weekend. Instead of staying up late to have fun with my team, I should sometimes leave the team bonding a little early in order to prepare for the long day ahead of me. It isn't as easy as it seems to leave your teammates to benefit the team in the long run, but it is something that needs to be done.

One way you could get your team to get to sleep early is by setting a time frame for your team bonding. This seems like a dumb idea and a way to create a bedtime for yourselves, but it will help you to get back to your hotel room quicker. Another way you could do this is simply by mentioning to your teammates that it is getting late and that the tournament is going to require a lot of energy. Hopefully, your teammates will realize it is time to go to bed. This doesn't always work though and you can find yourself staying up a lot later, because you are caught up with your teammates. Team bonding really is one of the greatest parts about being on a team.

You aren't always going to get the sleep you need and you aren't always going to have the best chemistry on your team, but these are things that come with playing sports. Sometimes it doesn't always work out how you want it to. Find something fun for your team to do that everyone would enjoy and you'll have a blast. 

Recruiting at Tournaments

If you are interested in playing sports in college you either have, or will, have to meet a college coach. This might also be at a tournament that you are playing in. For volleyball there are multiple qualifiers, or big tournaments, that teams can attend to be recognized by colleges. At these tournaments there are anywhere from 10-50 coaches scouting for their team. This can be very stressful, and there are many ways to cope with the anxiousness of having a coach watch you for the first time.

First off, don't let it get in your head. They are obviously watching you for a reason, so you shouldn't be worried about not being good enough. The fact that they have recognized you should make you feel pretty great. The best thing to do is just act like they aren't there. It is a normal game in which the goal is the same. You are going to want to push yourself and do your best. If they aren't interested they will usually know from the start, so you shouldn't worry too much. 

The second reason you shouldn't worry is because there are so many opportunities for you to be seen. While one coach may not be as interested in you, another could be all for. It just depends on the school, what they are looking for, and the necessities of your class. Some schools might not need you position for the class of 2016, but for the class of 2017 there are many spots open. It is important to know that sometimes there is just no room for you, and there is nothing you can do about it.

College coaches have different things they look for in athletes and there are so many things you could try to fix about yourself, but overall it is best to just be yourself. If you do end up playing the sport you love at that college, the coach will eventually find out how you actually are anyways. Stay true to yourself. 

Staying calm and collected can be very hard for others to do, so you must look to your teammates for support. They have probably gone through the exact situation, or maybe are even going through it with you. Don't let the nerves get the best of you and focus on the game. After all, it is just another game that you are trying to improve in. There is no need to get worked up simply because there is one extra person in the crowd, but it is important to acknowledge the fact that they are there and you need to give full effort. You should be giving all your effort in every situation anyways, so it shouldn't be too difficult.

Favoritism

If you are an athlete I am sure you have heard others talk about or experienced favoritism at some point in your life. Even outside of sports favoritism is alive. Whether it is teachers, friends, or coaches, they can sometimes show that they have a favorite player, student, or friend. They are not going to admit they have a favorite person, because it is not right for coaches or teachers to do that. Coaches should not choose their lineups based on the friendliest kids or the athlete with the most interactive parents, but base who plays on the most hardworking and skilled athletes.
Coaches do not always understand when they are favoring players. It can be hard to sit through a practice and watch the coach praise the same player over and over again for doing simple things. It is extremely frustrating to have one person on the team who likes to suck up to the coach and always agree with them no matter what. We all have that one teammate who will do anything for a coach. This is not a bad thing. In fact, I think all athletes should always be respectful to their  coaches no matter the circumstances and do what they ask. There comes a point though that you realize some people do it just to benefit themselves.
Playing time is not always going to be equal or fair. Yes, sometimes not the best athletes get the chance to go out there and show others what they can do. Sometimes the better athletes have to sit on the bench, but this is giving others the opportunity to improve and get reps. You are not going to get better by not playing. Be considerate to others, because not everyone is going to be equally talented. If you are the one getting the opportunity to play do not take it for granted.
Sports are a wonderful thing and provide many people with happiness outside of home and school. Favoritism is real and life isn't always as fair as you want it to be. Athletes need to understand the strength it takes to be a team player and not always want things for themselves. Being part of a team means being supportive no matter the circumstances. Teammates should always be there for each other, even if you aren't friends outside of sports. That is what being on a team calls for.

Limitations

There are many ways for athletes to be limited without having an injury, or one that can be seen for that matter. This may include many things such as asthma or an iron or sodium deficiency. I, personally, have an iron and sodium deficiency that can sometimes become hard to deal with. I overheat very easily and black out. This forces me to sit down until I can see clearly. Sometimes this might cause me to actually pass out, but I have it under control. There are ways to deal with this though, including taking iron pills and including enough sodium in your diet. Limitations can be dealt with in many ways and are simply what they sound like: factors that limit what you do. These limits can be broken or tweaked.
While it may seem difficult for someone who has, per say, asthma to compete there are ways to deal with it. I know many athletes who own inhalers that they use whenever they seem a little too out of breath. They might need to take a small break to simply re-energize themselves and give their lungs a break. It is not a bad thing to have to take a break, especially at practice. I bet if you asked most athletes they would say practices are sometimes more intense than games or meets. During games or meets you get more breaks than at practice, which provides athletes with a sense of relief. At practice you are trying to build endurance so it is a good thing to be out of breath. Athletes need to push themselves at times, but just be careful to not push too far beyond your boundaries.
If you are an athlete who has something that is limiting your performance do not be ashamed or embarrassed. It is perfectly normal to be out of breath, or need to take a break, whether it is for the same reasons as others or not. Every athlete is unique and has their own knowledge of what their body can take. After all you do know your body better than anyone else. Push yourself to achieve your goals and don't let these things get in the way. Take precautions and everything will be okay. These types of limitations should not affect whether you can play or not, unless it is a serious case. With a positive outlook, everything will be okay.

Social Media

As we all know this blog is very much about sports and the benefits they have on athletes. One of the focuses of this log is getting into college and becoming a college athlete. There are many ways to help yourself become a college athlete, as stated in previous posts, but there is one way to make sure you are looked at in a positive way. This is by controlling and minding what you post on social media. I know you have heard from multiple coaches, parents, and teachers that you need to watch what you post, but it really is very important.
The first reason it is good to filter what you post is because college coaches will look at your social media and it might affect their decision. Coaches aren't going to find someone who curses and post inappropriate comments on the internet appealing during the recruiting process. What you post on social media could truly make or break your career at some colleges. It would be extremely unfortunate to lose an amazing opportunity at a school because you thought it would be funny to tweet something inappropriate. When I say inappropriate I mean anything vulgar. You may not be a sophisticated individual, but it would benefit you to at least seem refined.
The other reason you should mind what you post on social media is because you want to seem as respectful as possible. If you want your  coaches to respect you, you have to earn it. They will never respect you if you don't even respect yourself, whether that is through social media or not. A respectful athlete is of great value and can be taught many things, but a disrespectful one will not get very far in life. Being respectful will not only help you with college athletics, but your college professors and future acquaintances. It is always good to start off on the right foot.
Social media should be taken very seriously. Just watch what you post. Ask yourself if what you are posting is in any way inappropriate. Would you be embarrassed to show an adult or authoritative figure? These are things you need to take into consideration in your everyday life. Not only will you earn the respect of your coaches, but your teammates by being a respectful person. Most people know there is a saying that respect is easy to lose, but very hard to gain.