As thousands of college students migrated off their campuses in March, one particular group of students were not only worried about when they would return but also what it would mean for the upcoming semester. Student-Athletes on college campuses fell into an interesting category. Many wanted to return to compete in their sports but also wanted to still respect guidelines.
When NCAA football was originally cancelled, many were worried about what the fallout would be for other sports. Across the country, there were protests with certain schools and sports conferences to bring back Fall sports. While some schools have allowed sports to return, we have seen the negative effect this has created. Schools such as LSU (Louisiana State University) announced that the majority of their football team has contracted COVID. With more and more students at schools getting COVID-19, many wonder how this will affect the future of college sports.
Many including myself have been sitting at home waiting for that call or email to tell us not only if we’ll return but if we will compete at all. I know how nerve wracking this is being not only a student-athlete at Hampton but a senior as well. While being at home can be boring to some, with these easy tips, you’ll be able to cope and prepare yourself mentally and physically for a possible upcoming season.
One of the most important things is to keep a routine. If you had 6am practices like I did, try to stay with that routine. If you can’t practice your sport in your area, just do some type of core workout. This will solidify that the transition on campus will be even that much easier.
Something else to do is try something new! During the school year, student athletes are forced to focus on their sport and school only. This is the perfect opportunity for you to try something new and not have to be worried about your schedule being overloaded. There are plenty of fun social distanced activities you can try. These activities will not only help you to gain a new skill but it will take your mind off of not being on campus.
Another thing to do is keep in contact with your teammates and coaches. It’s so important to connect with people who you most likely were around daily, but also your team understands what you’re going through. Some of your teammates and coaches might have different workout methods that could work better for you. It’s also important to check in with your coaches because they can aid in your success for the upcoming season. They can give you workouts to not only keep you busy but to improve your performance for the season.
Last and most importantly, remember this isn’t the end of the world. You might not have had a good season or you could’ve had a great one before the pandemic cut it short. The precautions that are set in place such as not having students on campus or wearing a mask is to protect you. By doing this, not only do you help to lower the rise in cases but you are helping in the potential return to campus. Although we all miss our sports, teams and coaches, it’s important that we now focus on school, workouts away from campus and getting fit remotely.
Even though to some, being a student-athlete at home is boring or you feel like you’re at a disadvantage, use this time to your advantage. Try something new, social distance and continue to stay fit and hopefully our favorite sports will return soon.