Balancing Sports and Academics: Tips for Student Athletes (and their parents)

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I’m a busy working Mum with three children from 9 up to 14 and we’re firmly in the balancing act of academic and extracurricular activities. I am a firm believer that sports and physical activity are just as important as schoolwork. There have been many studies done that prove we are physically and mentally improved by doing sports. Skills like leadership, working as a team, and motivation are just a small part of why they are important parts of their lives and can enhance our academic performance.

We’re always ferrying at least one child to their sporting and social clubs and the juggling act is insane. I worry about the right balance for encouraging them in their sporting endeavours whilst also ensuring their school work doesn’t suffer as a result. I have looked into ways to aid that balance, and here is what I found.

Keep it fun

If the sport you love is becoming a chore, feels like work, or is not fun anymore, it might be time to re-evaluate where your focus is. It doesn’t mean you have to quit, but it may mean you might be putting too much pressure on outcomes and scores rather than just playing for fun. Very few student-athletes are going to make it long-term or become professional, so it’s important to keep it fun.

Be Flexible

If you have a large project coming up in school, you may need to focus more on that for a couple of weeks and hang back on the sports. Similarly, if you have a big game or show looming, you know that will be your main focus.

Have the right equipment ready

How many times have we shouted, “Where are your trainers?!” at the top of our voices, only to find them at the bottom of a crumpled mess of unwashed sports gear? To avoid this, try to get into the habit of emptying those sports bags straight away and washing what needs to be washed. Get the kids involved and soon it will become natural. If you have a tight turnaround and they practice a lot, have spares of everything. This also helps if you have a scatterbrained ADHD child like me who seems to lose things on the regular. I know equipment can get expensive but if you buy the best you can afford, for example, quality football gear, they will last longer and you won’t need to replace them as often.

Plan ahead

I know we have calendars on our phones, but I find it helpful to have a wall calendar that both parents can access or a large wall planner is even better. Make sure everyone is aware of important dates in both the sporting and academic year so they don’t creep up on you. You can also see straight away if anything is going to clash and plan accordingly.

These are just a few tips I have found useful, but I still end up running out the door with no time to spare or finding a last-minute project at the bottom of the school bag, but that’s just life. How do you manage the sports/academic balance?

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