Charlotte Figler, 27
High school athletes have to balance school, sports, friends, and more on the daily. The downside of not being able to handle these things could be mental or physical health problems that can affect people for a lifetime. The pressure to perform at a high level and to hopefully get a scholarship can often put an even heavier burden on athletes, leaving them with more than they can handle. I am a sophomore in high school, but here are some things I have learned so far about how to handle school, sports, and my mental and physical well-being.
One of the most important things I have learned to focus on as a high school athlete is physically maintaining a healthy diet. When athletes eat unhealthy food, it can lead to loss of energy and can cause athletes to perform worse. Eating a healthy balanced meal three times a day can provide the necessary nutrients and make you feel better, as opposed to eating fast food or just snacks throughout the day. Another important lesson I have learned is to take rest days. Overdoing the training and never taking a day to yourself can lead to injuries, mentally or physically. I have found that spending time with friends and not spending every second training or worrying about the next game or tournament is necessary to keep my mental health strong. Also, overworking your body and expanding your physical health can lead to easier injury.
One of the most important things that I have learned about being a high school athlete and student is to remind yourself that there's a bigger picture. Even if you do plan to play after high school, reminding yourself that is only one part of your personality is vital, regardless of the circumstances. If you have one bad game or practice, that does not define who you are by any means. Another important thing to remember is to focus on what you can control. There are many aspects to being a high school athlete, and only some of them are controllable. You can practice as many hours as you want and with as many resources as possible, but there are still things you can’t control, such as how your teammates play, or injuries. The things you can control, you should capitalize on instead of being concerned with what other people are doing or what they have.
Overall, being a high school athlete is obviously a big step up from middle school and anything from the past. Participating in both school and travel sports, and focusing on academics as well, is often a lot to handle and can cause a lot of stress. Learning how to manage your time and well-being is necessary for continuing to stay successful as an athlete and student. Obviously, I still have multiple years left of high school, and can continue to learn how to better balance school and sports better than I did the year before. It really does take experience and time to find the schedule and system that works best for you.