Excel In Academics Along With Athletics

–Nicole Morell (SportsForce)

Your academic strength is just as important as your athletic strength. Take the time to read a few tips to ensure your academic skills stand out as much as your athletic skills:

Find the time that works best for you
Figure out the time that your brain is most awake. We all had those friends who rushed to complete their homework in homeroom before school started; but for some, mornings may the best time to get work done. If you’re always exhausted and feeling a little brain-dead after school and practice, get to bed early and wake up sooner than you normally would to give yourself more time to finish assignments before you head off to school.

Chip away at big assignments
Procrastination seems to be a bad habit we all develop in our teen years. It never pays off. Instead of ignoring an assignment until the night before, work on it in small doses. Consistently working on little pieces of a big assignment will help to ease the stress of its completion. It will also help you to look at things with fresh eyes and do a better job than if you cram and do all the work the night before.

Set up study dates
Some of us prefer to work alone, but as you know from sports, things can get done more efficiently with the help of your team. This can also be true for school work. Find someone you know you can work well with and set up times to work on assignments together. This way you will have something to look forward to come study time and also someone to help you out.

Treat school on the same level if not higher
At SportsForce, we work hard to highlight your athletic achievements by showcasing your video. But as many of you already know, academics is equally if not more important in the recruiting process. Don’t put your schoolwork on the backburner. Think of all the time you devote to athletic training and work to put in at least the same amount of time towards your academics. Seeing a strong student-athlete is a great selling point for college coaches.

Get extra help when needed
This is a tip that can be applied to both high school and college student-athletes. There is absolutely no shame in going to a teacher or tutor for extra help; that’s what they are there for. In classrooms not everyone is going to be on the same page in understanding the material. If you feel lost, ask your teacher to meet with you to get extra help. You will absolutely benefit and teachers will appreciate the initiative you put in.