Athletes' Stress
Layni Webster '24 Staff Writer
High school athletes everywhere are practicing everyday after school in hopes to win some games. Students crowd the stands at sporting events to watch their peers compete amongst other teams across the county. What those students don’t see is the physical and mental drain athletes are facing.
One challenge faced by student athletes is figuring out how to complete all of their school work along with practices and games. Sophomore varsity soccer player Logan Ehart shares that “you have to cram all your work together and stay up late doing homework. It is not good.” With practices ending late and the load of school work, athletes question if they can even get enough sleep. A recent NCAA study shows one-third of student athletes get less than seven hours of sleep each night, which isn’t enough. Teenagers need nine to nine and a half hours each night. Senior junior cross country runner Spence Marsden stated, “I just push through the stress. I can't manage it at all.” Time management is key to being a student and athlete. Planning out when to do assignments and when to practice can help improve how to manage time.
Coaches have a huge impact on sports. Some students have had experiences with coaches that have caused stress. Sophomore junior varsity football player Ryan Marshall stated, “I've had one coach where I've made good plays and he doesn't congratulate me and some days if I'm late to practice he gets upset with me, but when other players make good plays he congratulates them and if they come late he acts like nothing happened. I think he just pushes me harder than the other players and it's a struggle for me.” When coaches aren’t supportive of athletes, it can cause them to feel like they aren't playing well enough, or make them stress that they are not as good as others on the team. Having coaches that listen to students allows the students to feel not only more comfortable with the coach, but it also allows for some stress relief. Coaches that understand what students go through and allow them to put school work first allow students to hold onto their love for the sport while also keeping up with their education. Communication between athletes and their coaches is vital to having a good relationship.
Motivation and support is what helps athletes at Howard push through stress and perform well. Marshall explained, “When my friends come to watch me play it actually motivates me. It motivates me to play better, play harder and to hustle more.” Freshman junior varsity soccer player Nathan Weiler stated, “I think that it's more fun when more people come to watch and the crowd gets more excited for moments that happen during the game.” The energy from the crowd of people watching inspires the athletes and gives them an adrenaline rush, which makes the game more exciting and entertaining for both the fans and players.
When athletes aren’t too overwhelmed by their sport, sports are a great way to take a break from reality and to forget about school stress. Shelby Smith, a junior varsity cross country athlete stated, “Running makes you feel good… you get the runners high, which is a nice way to transition from school.”
One challenge faced by student athletes is figuring out how to complete all of their school work along with practices and games. Sophomore varsity soccer player Logan Ehart shares that “you have to cram all your work together and stay up late doing homework. It is not good.” With practices ending late and the load of school work, athletes question if they can even get enough sleep. A recent NCAA study shows one-third of student athletes get less than seven hours of sleep each night, which isn’t enough. Teenagers need nine to nine and a half hours each night. Senior junior cross country runner Spence Marsden stated, “I just push through the stress. I can't manage it at all.” Time management is key to being a student and athlete. Planning out when to do assignments and when to practice can help improve how to manage time.
Coaches have a huge impact on sports. Some students have had experiences with coaches that have caused stress. Sophomore junior varsity football player Ryan Marshall stated, “I've had one coach where I've made good plays and he doesn't congratulate me and some days if I'm late to practice he gets upset with me, but when other players make good plays he congratulates them and if they come late he acts like nothing happened. I think he just pushes me harder than the other players and it's a struggle for me.” When coaches aren’t supportive of athletes, it can cause them to feel like they aren't playing well enough, or make them stress that they are not as good as others on the team. Having coaches that listen to students allows the students to feel not only more comfortable with the coach, but it also allows for some stress relief. Coaches that understand what students go through and allow them to put school work first allow students to hold onto their love for the sport while also keeping up with their education. Communication between athletes and their coaches is vital to having a good relationship.
Motivation and support is what helps athletes at Howard push through stress and perform well. Marshall explained, “When my friends come to watch me play it actually motivates me. It motivates me to play better, play harder and to hustle more.” Freshman junior varsity soccer player Nathan Weiler stated, “I think that it's more fun when more people come to watch and the crowd gets more excited for moments that happen during the game.” The energy from the crowd of people watching inspires the athletes and gives them an adrenaline rush, which makes the game more exciting and entertaining for both the fans and players.
When athletes aren’t too overwhelmed by their sport, sports are a great way to take a break from reality and to forget about school stress. Shelby Smith, a junior varsity cross country athlete stated, “Running makes you feel good… you get the runners high, which is a nice way to transition from school.”
ELLICOTT CITY MD, OCTOBER 21, 2021 - JV cross country runner Shelby Smith happily completing her race against Centennial.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY BULLSEYE RUNNING
PHOTO PROVIDED BY BULLSEYE RUNNING