3 Ways to Keep a Busy Student-Athlete Active and Healthy
Being a student-athlete can be challenging at times. Middle school and high school student-athletes are required to perform in the classroom as well as on the playing field. Many of these student-athletes are even involved in more than one sport or co-curricular activity. Seasons are bound to overlap because most sports are offered and advertised as year-round commitments. With added pressure from parents, many of these athletes are taking Advanced Placement and Honors courses in school to pad the transcript and to acquire college credit early. Then there are the after school commitments such as band, leadership clubs, and National Honor Society.
Cutting back and prioritizing sports and school-related activities won’t happen until student-athletes reach their junior or senior year of high school. When student-athletes approach those years in school, they will have a better idea of where they will be attending college and which sport they will be taking place in while they are there – if any.
Parents, it is more than okay to get your kids involved in anything and everything, in fact, it is encouraged. Multi-sport and activity involvement will broaden any student and athlete’s horizon if the right steps are taken to balance it all out. If parents and kids can have open communication and stay on the same page regarding school, sports, and other activities, there won’t be as much pressure or stress on the kid. Once a child expresses stress or exhaustion brought on by being involved in too many activities, that’s when the breaks should be pumped. Kids, it’s important to use your voice and not be afraid of disappointing your parents if you feel overwhelmed by being involved in too much.
Below are three ways to keep a busy student-athlete active and healthy.
Get Enough Sleep: This is the number one thing both parents and kids need to stress and put first and foremost at the top of any list. Sleep is crucial to the success of the student-athlete on the playing field and in the classroom. My advice, turn those phones off early in the evening and get to bed around the same time every night. The earlier the bedtime, the better. The same should be stressed on weekends. Middle school kids and high schoolers are growing every single day and need the appropriate amount of rest to fuel their mind and body.
Time Management: Now that school and sports are in full swing, and some sports are overlapping, it is important for kids to develop time management skills to get everything done. It helps for kids and parents to have some planner or organizer, so everyone is on the same page and knows the events taking place in the evening. Planners are effective for kids to write down homework assignments and test dates. It’s important to keep track of everything and have it written down and then cross it off once it is completed. It is also recommended to try to finish homework before heading out to sports at night, that way, after practice or games, kids can shower and go to bed instead of staying up late to finish homework or to study.
Eat Right: There is a lot being asked of kids these days when they are involved in multiple school and sport-related activities. It is important that these athletes are taking care of and fueling their bodies the right way. Not only do athletes need to be getting the right amount of sleep every night, but they also need to eat right and frequently throughout the day. Waking up in the morning and eating breakfast is a must, to get the metabolism going. I know this means losing an extra 10 minutes of sleep, but your body and your mind will thank you throughout the day if you eat breakfast. Packing homemade lunches is also recommended, this way parents and athletes know what is being put into the athlete’s body and it’s healthier than a school lunch. Snacks are also important, and dinner should always come before the night activities. Athletes who eat right, get enough sleep, and do their homework promptly will be able to balance all of the crazy and succeed in school, in their sport(s), and in their everyday life.
