If you have a passion for being an athlete, then getting involved in sports would be beneficial in many ways. Sometimes you’re born into a sport because it runs in the family for generations, and you were passed the torch.
Or you could have discovered the love of the sport by simply trying it and found out you were actually better than you thought at the sport.
Regardless of your journey to discover the sport, the key to staying active is being present and acquainted with those that play on the team that you desire to be on.
The chain of command on any team would be the coaches down to the captain, and the team follows. Making these connections before joining a sports team is important.
You must know the individuals that you would have to practice, play games, and spend the most time with. This could put you at an advantage or even serve as a boost to your tryout.
Every team has a chain of command, but it is necessary to continue to build those relationships with the ones that decide your position on the team.
Making connections inside your sport is important, but there is life after your athletic career. Regardless of if you choose to further your career outside the sports industry or excel professionally, relationships can help regardless of where you are in life.
“Be sure to make connections outside the sport so that all your skills will be transferable in the real world,” said Shaneese Bailey, the University of Miami Alumni basketball player.
Doing research and understanding the history of any sport ensures that you want to join that team or organization for the right reasons. Analyzing the way the team functions and how the team interacts with each other will help you discover how you are an asset.
It is not all about joining a team with a good record but, most importantly, to join a team that fits you.
Researching the team before you join will give you that advantage to decide if that team is the right one for you. If you take the time out to research anything, it shows how interested and invested you are in wanting to know more about what you see yourself being a part of.
In addition, you have to do your homework on the sport you choose. This entails studying films and plays and watching yourself so that you can improve your IQ surrounding the sport.
Not only should you prepare your mind, but you have to prepare your body. All athletes have a pre and post-season to prepare for the season. During this time, conditioning your body, eating healthy, and staying active is essential.
Staying prepared allows you not to have to get ready. Preparation eliminates time wasted that you could have used towards something productive.
Staying constantly involved with the sport will allow you to make mistakes and learn from them, alongside discovering your strengths and weaknesses. This will give your body the correct nutrients so that your body can sustain itself and prevent injuries.
According to the Florida High School Athletic Association, every student must be in accordance with Florida Statute 1006.15(3)(a). This requires a student to maintain a 2.0 on a 4.0 scale to be eligible for interscholastic athletic competition.
This is a non-negotiable requirement for all athletes in order to play sports at the high school level. With this rule in place, athletes must perform not only athletically but academically as well.
This involves maintaining your school and sports schedule and dedicating the proper amount of time to be successful in both.
There are a lot of athletes that go to college and center their college career around playing sports. After the sport is over, you lose friends, your schedule is different, and you must start over not knowing exactly what you want to do.
Balance is important to consider so that you don’t spend so much time invested in the sport that you lose sight of yourself. According to the National Collegiate Athletic Association, less than two percent of high school athletes compete after college.
“You can’t play sports forever. After maintaining your degree, you want to have academic skills to transfer to real-world scenarios,” Bailey said.
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