In order to be successful in your sport, you must first make it a priority. I’m sure almost every athlete in the world has said, “I’m sorry, I can’t make it; I have practice.” Not being able to have fun like my friends made me sad. I knew in order to get better, I would have to sacrifice my time. Being committed to the sport and working hard will help you see great results. To be good at what you do, you have to continue to work at it to see improvements. Also, having a set practice schedule will help you to stay consistent and stay on top of assignments.

Use a Schedule

     Work smarter, not harder. Having tools like a planner or calendar will help you to stay organized. Using these tools can help you to remember deadlines and help you plan your other activities around practice and school work. Using a schedule, helped me to not lose track of what assignments I had due. This will help you to know when to study prior to tests and decide what assignments are more important. Organization is a key to having great time-management skills.

Study in Advance

     Just as practice improves your skills, studying will improve your grades. Waiting until the last minute to study will lead to poor grades. A technique that helps me is closing all of my social media apps until I get all my work done. Avoiding procrastination will help get work done on time so you have time to relax and enjoy other hobbies. Procrastination will affect your sleep schedule, cut into your me time, and have a negative impact on academics and athletics. So, when you get a big assignment from your professor, get started on it right away! As an athlete you do not want to risk having bad grades and not being eligible for your sport. Student athletes must keep their grades up and maintain a certain g.p.a to play their sport. Knowing this can be used as motivation to stay on top of work and study in advance.

Don’t Overwhelm Yourself with Many Responsibilities

Balancing other activities with school and athletics can be a handful. Don’t stress yourself trying to make commitments to clubs, jobs, or other extracurricular activities. Overwhelming yourself with many things can be exhausting, causing you to drink energy drinks just to get through the day. Having a job took a toll on me during the season; I missed important practices and had to catch up on my skills. Before you decide to join an organization, make sure it fits your schedule and won’t overlap with your two top priorities, school and your sport.

Consistent Sleep Schedule