The start of the school year means sports are picking up and kicking into high gear. Student athletes are moving back into their routines of balancing practices, conditioning and school. Along with the stress of school comes the physical pressure from sports. Many student athletes struggle with maintaining their school work while also attending mandatory sporting events nearly everyday. There are many factors that play into the stress that is caused by school and sports occurring at the same time.
Dual-sport athlete Meg Baxter described the stress sports have on her mentally and physically already this early in the year. Baxter explained “I play two sports at once, cross country and soccer, so finding enough time to get enough sleep, practice daily, fuel my body properly and manage all of my school work can be very challenging.” Contradicting the idea that sports are her main reason for stress, Baxter went on to say “high school sports are such a unique experience and stress comes with choosing to play a sport during the school year. but honestly, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.”
Playing a sport (or maybe even two) is achievable during the academic school year, you just have to be willing to put the majority of your time and effort into it. Creating opportunities to reduce stress, like completing your homework on time or setting aside a specific time each day to get it done can also help relieve the pressure of school and sports. When choosing to join a sport you’re also choosing to go out and socialize, which can lead you to some of the strongest bonds you will create throughout your entire high school career. These bonds can help reduce that stress and even give you motivation. Stress is something that is preventable so with the right routine, people and mindset you’re bound to have a low stress year.