It’s not terribly uncommon but many students play multiple sports. They often play on a school team and on a club team. This takes up time, effort, and leads to tired students.
For example, if you play basketball for your school and you have an hour and forty-five minutes worth of practice directly after the final bell rings, you’re probably gonna be tired but still play well because although you had to get up early for school, you still want to put in effort.
Then, let’s say you also play soccer, but instead of for the school you play on a club team. The club is about a half-hour from your house. You get a text after basketball, and it’s your mom/dad. They are reminding you to drink something because as soon as they get you it is time to go to your club and do another two hours worth of practice.
The high majority of people may not be super exhilarated about this. Say you text back and let them know how much homework and how you have two quizzes plus a test tomorrow as well as you are super sweaty and tired.
Your parent reads the text and responds angerly, “I already paid!” You feel guilty and push yourself to go to practice anyway.
This is an example of a worn out child athlete.
You’re just not going to play as well when you’re worn out and stressed about quizzes and tests. I felt this, too, because I ride horses as well as play volleyball.
I just started playing volleyball and I really want to get better. I am a competitive athlete and want to win. I have been competitively riding horses for five years and riding in general for nine years, so I’m quite experienced.
I used to play soccer and ride but I wanted to pursue riding so I quit soccer. Now I have cut down from what was once five days a week riding to currently about one or two. It makes a part of me sad that I’m not crushed by this change. I have wanted to do volleyball for a long time and doing it makes me want to play more and more.
That means I have less time on my hands for other stuff. Playing multiple sports can be a struggle, a part of you will always focus on one a little more than the other, and you might look forward to one sport and secretly not even love the other.
I believe you should love what you do and what sports you play. You should enjoy yourself when doing something that takes time out of your day (by your choice, I add).
Playing multiple sports has its pros as well, though, don’t get me wrong. Playing two or more sports will get you in shape and make you stronger. Playing multiple sports can also make you stand out, give you time to see a lot of different friends/teammates, reduce the chance of injury due to the fact you may be using different muscle groups, establish a well-rounded relationship with sports for life, and more!
I read that if you’re a multi-sport athlete that it reduces your chances of getting burned out, but I think this is entirely false. I think this because from a multi-sport athlete who trained so many days over the summer, it is exhausting coming back to school and having tests, quizzes, school sports, and more.
By the end of the summer I was so incredibly burned out. I thought the best thing for me might just be to take a break. I didn’t take a break; instead I tried something new and really loved it.
I truly believe I’ll always ride horses, but for now I am really enjoying the few days I ride and all the days I play volleyball. I want to excel as a player, teamate, and athlete in every sport I do!
