“You bum,” “You are better than that” and “Come on,” – common sayings hurled at players while on the court or field. Dealing with the pressure to be great can be challenging, especially for student-athletes with other worries besides some numbers on a scoreboard.
“I take it in, silence it and keep on going on to the next play,” senior and varsity softball center fielder Rebekah Diener said.
Athletes must also balance their school, social, and athletic lives. Not taking a break from the field can lead to burnout and higher levels of stress, which in turn leads to poor performance.
“Sometimes [it does get hard]. I have had to keep up with a routine; go to school, practice and keep social life at night but focus on everything else during the day,” senior and jiu-jitsu athlete Ignacio Perales said.
While many student-athletes struggle to balance their academic and athletic lives, others have mastered their perfect routine. Keeping up with a routine can help lower stress and anxiety levels.
“Well, I play soccer three times a week, so it’s not too bad. I also work after school, so I keep my social life for the weekends; it all just balances out. I kind of just wing it,” senior and soccer center-back Zachary Bales said.
Moreover, one’s body is connected to their brain. Having ill mental health can take a noticeable toll on a player’s performance. Often, these issues stem from too many responsibilities, high competition levels and issues separating academics from athletics..
Just like the quarterback of any football team, sleep is essential to the game of life. Without sleep, one’s brain cannot behave properly. While sleep-deprived, the body cannot process information as well as it normally does.
“I just kind of have to sacrifice my sleep, you know, I don’t always get eight hours. After practice, I have to stay up doing homework, and I’m a bit of a procrastinator, so that takes a while,” senior and varsity lacrosse attackman Lucas Bauza said.
Dealing with the pressure of being a high school athlete pushes these players to do better and constantly improve their game. Whether it be for themselves or their team, striving to do better is what leads these students down a good path.
“I do it for myself but of course, at the high school level, you do it for your coach,” junior and varsity golf player Trevor Tingle said.
