Behind every trophy lifted, record broken, or goal accomplished, is an athlete who pushed himself beyond the limit to discover their true potential. And sometimes the desire for more can weigh on them and even affect the way they perform in school and life in general.
“
Usually, professionals dedicate their life to the sport, but high school students are expected to perform in academics, clubs, and athletics in the same amount of time. Developing skills for time management, concentration and emotional regulation are essential to the performance of student athletes in both academic and athletic fields.
Pausing is key when your schedule demands a lot from you. Often times the fear of missing out or social pressure can lead to overdoing it and then wondering why we something is missing.
“I’ve learned that taking a break and giving myself time to reset actually helps me to come back feeling more sharp and focused,” said junior Sofia Gallo.
Wanting to improve is good and natural, but constantly feeling like what you’ve accomplished is not enough can become its own source of pressure.
Junior Benjamin Pieri shared about his personal struggle with personal expectations and his drive for more.
“I think it’s my inner drive of wanting to be great that adds pressure and stress to my daily life in sports, school, and other things as well.”
A student can pause and take a deep breath before taking a test to clear and reset his or mind, the same way a tennis player breathes to forget about the last point and be in the present one. That deliberate reset is something that Coach Alejandro Ortega sees in every training.
There are many ways student-athletes can seek peace and balance. Society often tells them that they need to earn good grades, attend a good college, and constantly perform at their best. But student-athletes are more than grades, statistics, or performances. Taking a step back does not mean giving up. Sometimes a break means giving themselves the chance to reset, appreciate where they are, and return better than before. In the bigger picture, life is more than the next test, the next match, or the next achievement. Sometimes in life, everyone, including student-athletes, need to pause long enough to realize how much they have already experienced.
