Fall is an exciting time of year for studentathletes. After a summertime break from scholastic sports, athletes return to competition in the fall.
Whether athletes are playing football, soccer, cross country, tennis, or any of the myriad additional sports that start up again in the fall, preparation is vital to making the most of a season. As seasons get set to begin, families can keep the following tips in mind to ensure student-athletes start off on the right foot.
• Establish a routine early on. Parents know it’s no small feat getting students back in the school year swing of things after summer vacation, and it can be just as challenging for student-athletes to get back on track on the playing fields. Families can start their school year routines over the final weeks of summer vacation to ensure student- athletes don’t miss a beat once the season begins. Children who tend to stay up past their bedtimes over the summer can start going to bed earlier so their bodies are well-rested when classes resume and practices and games start. In addition to going to bed earlier, children can start waking up earlier, ultimately waking up at the same time they will during the school year over the last several days of summer vacation.
• Focus on conditioning as summer winds down. Parents and student- athletes can contact coaches as summer winds down for advice on how to improve their conditioning as fall sports season inches closer. Proper conditioning is a building block of athletic success that builds endurance and reduces injury risk. Conditioning also can help student-athletes fulfill their athletic potential. Conditioning need not be restricted to indoor activities, either. Summer-friendly activities like swimming, cycling and hiking can be great for conditioning and won’t require student-athletes to spend the final days of summer indoors on a treadmill or exercise bike.
• Get back to basics. Student-athletes competing at the varsity level may have been playing their sports for years by the time the new school year begins, but a return to the basics in advance of a new season can help to acclimate their bodies and get their minds ready for the coming season. Light engagement in basic drills is a safe and slow method to getting bodies back in shape. Student-athletes can participate in local clinics over the summer, even serving as instructors if the opportunity arises. Participation in clinics provides a good way to sharpen skills as summer winds down and a new season is about to begin.
• Fine tune studentathletes’ diets. Summer is not always synonymous with healthy eating, as backyard barbecues and visits to the local ice cream parlor can tempt anyone, including student-athletes, to eat less nutritious foods. Nemours KidsHealth notes that athletic children and teenagers need calcium- rich foods to build strong bones, iron to help deliver oxygen throughout their bodies, protein to facilitate the building and repairing of muscles, and carbohydrates to provide much-needed energy. As fall sports season approaches, parents can aim to meet each of these needs throughout the day and limit access to less healthy fare that tends to be readily available throughout the summer.
As fall sports season kicks off, student-athletes and their families can focus on preparing for competition and doing the little things that help youngsters fulfill their athletic potential.
