Shaving Your Legs

If you are a female athlete you know the struggle of shaving your legs. Every night before a game or meet you must shave all of the hair off of your legs so that the people in the stands don't get a glimpse at the tiny forest on your legs. Being hairy for females is not looked at as a good thing in today's society. Guys don't seem to like girls who have hairy legs or armpits, but why don't guys shave as well?

Girls are expected to keep a clean shaven body no matter the circumstances, otherwise they are seen as disgusting by males. Shaving, for me, is a preference, because I am not a fan of having hairy legs, especially in sports. No one wants to rub up against a girl while going up for a layup and feel their hair legs or armpit. That is very disgusting. I am someone who definitely needs to shave my legs before a game or meet.

While I like to shave when I know people will be seeing me, or if I am in shorts or a dress, I don't always shave regularly in the winter. By no means am I skipping a whole entire week, but I do stretch out the days. Most of my friends like to shave their legs, but do not follow a regular schedule in the winter as well. Now, when girls don't shave it is not extremely noticeable so it's not a big deal as long as it hasn't been that long, but it can start to get annoying. Some girls think guys hold double standards for women and should shave their legs, but my opinion is that both men and women should do whatever they want. I have my preferences, you have yours. Stop complaining and get on with your life.

Shaving does take extra time from your night and can be a pain in the butt, but it does leave your legs feeling smooth and looking good. Don't let other people tell you how to live your life, or your teammates make you feel bad about a little hair. We all have it and it is natural. You can choose to do whatever you want and should not fall into peer pressure. Your legs are yours and yours only. Athletes are busy and are sometimes too tired, let them be.

Appreciate Life

Life as a high school student athlete leaves you with busy nights and barely any sleep. You are always extremely tired and wanting to just sleep all day every day. As the days go on, you continue with your normal routine and simply go through the motions. If there is ever the chance, you will go to sleep early. This is the average life of anyone who plays sports, but why do we let ourselves do that? High school student athletes do not appreciate their everyday life nearly enough.

The sport you have chosen to play must be important to you, otherwise you wouldn't be continuing to play it. At practice it may seem like you do the same drills every day or you start to get bored of the activities. Appreciate the coaches and athletes that surround you. Appreciate the person next to you pushing you to get better. Life is so great and wonderful, that we sometimes seem to forget because we are caught up with the stresses of our everyday life. You have been blessed to be able to compete in the sport you love and attend school in order to prepare for the life ahead of you. Athletes need to understand that other countries don't have the same opportunities as us. Other schools might not offer the same things as yours. Some countries don't even have the sport you play. Be appreciative of the situation you are in, no matter how awful it seems. There is always someone else going through a struggle much more difficult than your own.

Appreciating life isn't simply being happy all of the time, but enjoying every moment, bad and good. Making memories and being grateful for everything you have is being appreciative. High school student athletes always get caught up in how they are performing, but if you just stop for a minute and take a look that all you have accomplished you can go so much farther. Knowing that you have potential and can increasingly get better, while enjoying every second of it, is going to make you a better player. Appreciate the coach you aren't too fond of, or the teammate you don't really get along with, because they were put into your life for a reason. You are capable of anything if you have a little bit of courage and do not take anything for granted. Life is short, so make the most of it.

Becoming a Senior

As a student athlete most of your focus is on improving each year in the sport you play. If you are extremely committed and absolutely love the sport you play, time can go by very quickly. It might seem like freshman year was only a couple months ago and now you are preparing to go into your senior year. Where did the time go? Why are you so close to being an adult? Since when did you grow up? Senior year is supposed to be one of the best years of high school, but why is it so many people dread it?

Senior year is followed by many goodbyes. Goodbyes to your friends that you will no longer see when you go off to college. Goodbyes to your family if you decide to move out. Goodbyes to your pets. Goodbyes to your coaches and goodbyes to your teammates. Senior year is extremely sad when you think about all you will be leaving behind.

One of the hardest things for me will probably be counting down my lasts. I will be overcome with sadness when I realize I am playing in my last home game, or my last high school tournament. Saying goodbye to the people you have played with the last four years is going to be extremely difficult and heartbreaking, but you must look forward to the future.

After high school graduation, athletes will experience a new life at college and meet tons of new people. If you decide to continue playing the sport you love and have already put so much time into, you will get to experience collegiate sports. You will meet new teammates who will be just as wonderful and have even more competition to look forward to at games. Playing a sport in college will really allow you to adapt to the new school a lot easier. By already being a part of a group of people, you have made the first step at becoming comfortable. College really isn't going to be that bad.

When you look back on your senior year it will be filled with memories. You will miss it. You will miss high school, your teammates, and coaches, but that doesn't make the next step any less significant to your life. Remember, you are not the only one that is going to be the new student at college. Everyone around you has experienced a sudden change in their life. It is up to you to embrace it.

Why "March Madness"?

"March Madness" is extremely popular and something almost everyone I seem to talk to is interested in. Everyone looks forward to this month, just for the simple fact that they can begin to participate in the annual bracket creations. What makes this so great and addictive to people that aren't even athletes or interested in basketball?

I think one of the many reasons so many people get caught up in this month full of basketball is because it involves innocent bets meant to be fun. So many people put their money in just for a chance to win it all. Everyone fills out a bracket and hopes to have the lucky picks. Some people participate in online bets or friendly ones with close friends. The thrill of maybe having a correct bracket leaves everyone curious and anxious for the end.

The reason why the basketball teams are getting so much recognition and sales is because everyone has invested their time in watching these games. Their brackets depend on the outcomes of these games and make watching them even better. Viewers are stressed out, yet excited to see if their team will win. If your team ends up not winning, you end up joining the pool of people who have lost the chance to win the big bucks. People will do anything for money, or recognition in any way. The competition to have the winning bracket is what makes this all so irresistible.

I have to admit that I have given in to this addictive month of basketball. Creating a bracket is extremely fun and makes watching the games just that much more interesting and I can definitely see why people love "March Madness". I have already invested a lot of my time and patience into watching many games and have stressed myself out with the devastating losses. After the first loss, you seem to be fine and still continue to watch how the games end up. Basketball is already interesting enough for me, but creating a bracket gives me even more reason to watch. “March Madness” is so popular that even after your bracket is busted, you still continue to watch all of the other games just to see how it all plays out. We all are waiting to see who the lucky winner is, if there even is one, and to find out how correct our brackets end up being.  

Benchwarmers

All athletes dream of being the star player on their high school team. You get to play the sport you love while everyone in the crowd is waiting for you to make your next move. Unfortunately, this isn't always the way it turns out to be. It isn't always how you hope it would be. As we all grow older we come to realize that there isn't equality in playing anymore. The best players on the team see the most time on the court and you must push yourself to outplay your peers. Sometimes, no matter how hard you try, there will always be players better than you. This doesn't take away from your importance on the team though. The bench player is just as, if not more, important than the starters. 

Every athlete has known someone who has had the benefit and struggle of being a bench player, or been one themselves. Bench players can be some of the kindest, energetic people on the team, their smiles lighting up the room and adding to the team's spirit. They play an extremely important role on the team, whether it seems like it to them or not. Bench players are the ones who are there to always cheer their team on, no matter how well or bad they are playing. Bench players are always there to provide their teammates with support during a game and relieve them of their stress. Bench players are essentially the heart of the team.

Your team is only as great as its weakest player, but bench players are not anywhere close to being weak. Bench players are some of the most mentally tough people you will ever meet and can handle the most stressful, painful situations. No matter how much they want to be out on the court playing, they are always smiling and supporting their team. That is true passion and commitment to the sport they love.

Most athletes do not appreciate every single person on their team nearly enough. Bench players are extremely underappreciated and should be treated as a prized possession. Having someone on your team that can sit through the game they love, while waiting to be put in, and keep the smile on their face is a great thing to have. Bench players are the strongest athletes on a team and do not get enough credit for all that they do.

Multi-Sport Athletes

If you are a student athlete there is a good chance you play more than one sport. Whether it is to keep you in shape or for the love of the game, it keeps you busy that's for sure. Playing more than one sport is a great way to keep in shape during the off season of your main sport. While it may be fun to play multiple sports, some people just do not have the time. You sure will be busy!

Playing multiple sports call for long nights. If you don't get home until the late evening, you will have a rough night ahead. With having to finish homework, shower, and pack your sports bag for the next day, you have at least another two hours staying up. Prioritizing is very important. It is extremely important to try and get as much homework done during the day so that there is less to do at home, especially if it is a day where you have two practices. 

While you are always keeping busy with sports, the days you only have one practice are blessings and should not be taken for granted. I absolutely love coming home from practice, knowing I can go to bed before 11. It is a time for me to relax and actually have some time to myself, which I usually use for sleeping. 

Playing two sports is a great way to learn how to use your time. You will become more organized, hopefully, and be able to plan accordingly. It teaches you to use agendas and plan out all your extra time, which will be helpful in college. Most athletes choose to focus in on only one sport in college, but that doesn't mean you can't be a multi-sport athlete as well. By starting out playing more than one sport early on, you can begin to learn how to always use your time wisely.

There are many reasons playing more than one sport is beneficial, whether it is to stay in shape or for fun, but there are also many reasons you might not choose to be a multi-sport athlete. Making sure you can handle playing more than one sport is extremely important. I would highly recommend everyone try playing other sports, but sometimes it just doesn't fit you as an individual. Make sure to see if the pros of playing outweigh the cons, because you wouldn’t want to make a decision that will end up being too stressful. 

Sweats

The everyday life of an athlete might include waking up early in the morning to go to school after a long night of homework and practice. Athletes already do not get enough sleep and are expected to perform at their best every day. This is why a lot of athletes choose to rarely dress up. Dressing up, or even somewhat nicely is a struggle, for me at least.

Waking up early in the morning you might try to get as much sleep as possible before going to school, leaving you with only ten minutes to get ready. You might throw some sweats on and some tennis shoes to wear to school. Your hair and teeth are both brushed but your hair might not be groomed well. Athletes go to school with bags under their eyes and are falling asleep in class sometimes, but that is an everyday thing.

It is not important to dress up for school in my opinion or even look presentable, but you should definitely not wear what you wore to bed the night before. If you have good hygiene habits, but choose to wear sweats every day I am not going to stop you. I love wearing sweats because they allow me to be comfortable at school, which is something I need with the little sleep I get. I would much rather be comfortable than look nice in front of my peers, whose opinions do not really matter to me. I know myself worth and I know appearance doesn’t really matter.

When it comes to being an athlete you usually stop caring what other people think of your appearance. At practice you are a sweaty mess, who doesn’t even match their clothes half the time, so why should it matter at school? School is a place to learn, not a fashion show. Being comfortable is a priority so that you are able to focus on what is important, which is your studies. By dressing up you might be more worried about if your shirt needs to be tucked in or if it is too wrinkly. When you are wearing sweats there really is nothing to worry about, when it comes to wrinkles or appearance because it doesn’t matter how you wear it. You wear it to be comfortable, not for the looks. People should stop caring what other people think and just wear whatever they want. Who cares what’s in style and what’s not. Wear your own style.

Crocs

If you are an athlete and are looking for some comfortable shoes I have the pair for you. Crocs are made from rubber and are very durable. They clean fairly easily so you can walk through mud and wash them off the next day. These easy to slip on shoes will become your best friend in a matter of minutes.

One reason I absolutely love Crocs is because they are extremely comfortable. Put a pair of fuzzy socks on and slide those babies on and you are good to go. They fit your feet very well and do not slide off easily. The morning after a game you are just going to want to be comfortable, so put on some sweats and slide your Crocs on.

There are many different styles of Crocs, but my favorite are the classic ones or striped ones. They both are the most known style and have holes for jibbitz. Jibbitz are little rubber images you can put in the holes of your Crocs to style them up a bit. Athletes can personalize their Crocs with their favorite sports teams on them or cute little smiley faces. There are so many options to choose from when it comes to jibbitz. While there are many different styles to choose from there are also a ton of different colors as well. These things just personalize your Crocs and make them unique to yourself.

Crocs are somewhat a fashion statement that tells other people you don't care about their opinions. If you wear Crocs you might get some rude stares, but who cares when you are wearing the most comfortable shoes? Wearing Crocs is a way to put yourself out there and provide for your comfort needs. Your peers will soon become jealous of your Crocs when they realize just how great they are.

I strongly recommend athletes get Crocs to wear because they are the most comfortable thing for their feet, in my opinion, especially after a long practice or game. They make each person unique and can even become a team thing. My entire volleyball team has their own pair of Crocs and it is just something fun we do together to bring us even closer. There is no shame in having a little fun, especially when it is a quality, comfortable shoe you are buying. Even if the shoe wasn’t that great, other people’s opinions don’t matter. We don't mind the stares, we embrace them.

Spring Break

While your mind is usually always focused on sports and school, it is nice to take a break every once in a while. Spring break is a great time to do just exactly that and relax. Your family might book a trip to Mexico or plan a stay at a lodge. Each family is different and even if you are staying home, what more could you ask for? You get to sleep all day and just hang out at home. 

Don’t be upset if other people are going to warm places out of the country or on the coast and you’re stuck at home. You will get so much more done than them regarding school work and sports. Also, you will catch up on a lot more sleep than them. Who cares about being tan anyways if you are not getting enough sleep? It is always best to be grateful for whatever you have and make the most of it. I’m sure other people are staying home too and would love to find something to do.

Taking time off from sports is a great idea because it will help you not burn out. Too much of a sport can start to drag on and become extremely boring. Other people seem to never burn out and always want to be playing the sport they love. If this truly is you as an athlete, then don't be afraid to go to the gym and work on some things over spring break. Some people like the break and others don't.

Some schools have practices over spring break, which is very good to keep athletes going. However, I do not think missing practice over spring break should affect playing time or be mandatory practices. Most coaches are very good about this topic. Athletes can't always help when their family plans a trip, and sometimes do not agree on the dates, but what are you going to do?

Spring break is a time for student athletes to forget their worries for a little while and just have fun, but don't forget about any dreaded homework. If you get all your homework done on one of the first days of spring break you will not be worrying the rest of the week and will have no other responsibilities. Use your spring break wisely to fit yourself. Everyone is different and it is okay to take a break every once in awhile. That is why it's called spring break.