You’ve worked hard. Countless days honing your skills, tons of games and tournaments, extra work on days off, hours in the weight room, and stressful times trying to get recruited to play college sports. The day has finally come when you announce your commitment to further your academic and athletic career.
You are excited, and your family, friends, and coaches are proud. Now what?
The stress of committing is over. The piano is off your back. It’s time to take the foot off the gas, sit back, and relax. Maybe not. Enjoy your accomplishment for a week or two, but then it’s back to work. You may have been one of the best players on your team for years, but when you get to college, so has everyone else. Here’s the difference: your teammates will be two or three years older in college. With today’s transfer portal, redshirt rules, and new junior college rules, you may be playing against athletes 23, 24, or 25 years old. Let that sink in. This will make a huge difference. In James Connor’s book “Fear is a Choice”, he stated “I had finally gotten my shot (committing to University of Pittsburgh football). “Now, the real work begins.”
You’ve spent years preparing to achieve a college scholarship. You did it!
Now it’s time to prepare to play college sports. Everyone’s journey will be different. This is the time to do your homework. Speak with current coaches, your future coaches, former teammates who currently play in college along with support staff such as your strength coach to focus on what will be important for you to succeed at the next level. Utilize the professionals around you to set up a game plan from today until you leave for school. Know your focus. This could be adding muscle weight, decreasing body fat, getting faster, or improving sport-specific skills. Lay out the plan on a calendar. Set goals and stick with the plan. Keep in mind that the number one goal is heading off to college fully healthy. Don’t let a lingering injury or overtraining set you back when you first arrive on campus. On your first day as a college athlete, be ready to show your college coaches you are prepared to succeed at the next level.