AHS Survival tips for College Freshmen

klinder

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The moment you have been working for during your softball career is finally upon you and you have no idea what to expect. Being a college freshman going away to college for the first time creates a ton of emotions. It can be exciting, intimidating, overwhelming, and fun all at the same time. There will be a lot of new thrown at you in a very short time, new friends, new classes, new coaches, new teammates, new expectations, new schedules, a different way of how things are done, and much more. The athletes that survive their first semester are the ones who can handle all of the new responsibilities and expectations that come with being a student athlete.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS TO HELP YOU THROUGH.

Be grateful for this opportunity and be humble, not cocky. Very few kids who play this game get to play at the next level. Thank the people who helped you get there.

Sharing a room with a new person, can be challenging. Be prepared to make adjustments to your living style. Communicate with your roommate and think about how your behaviors may impact them.

If you go into softball with an attitude of “I am going to be a sponge and learn as much as I can,” you will survive. Go into this with an attitude of “I know it all” and it will be difficult. Very few of your teammates or coaches will care how good you were in HS or how you did things on your travel team. This is a whole new situation and you are there to learn their style of play. Everything now becomes about the team’s success, not your individual success.

PAY ATTENTION TO DIRECTIONS, READ INFO SENT OR GIVEN TO YOU, ASK QUESTIONS IF YOUR DON’T UNDERSTAND, AND HAVE REQUESTED INFORMATION AND DOCUMENTS.

Make sure you bring all of your softball equipment to school with you including cleats. You will probably get equipment but better to have your own until you get your new.

Prioritize, budget your time, and be disciplined. Sleeping and eating right should be a priority.

How you spend your time should reflect your priorities. 1. Academics 2. Softball 3. Social life.

If social takes up all of your time, either softball or academics or both will suffer. Plan your week and plan your next day the night before so you are prepared for everything you will face. Use a planner and WRITE THINGS DOWN. Your days will be going from one thing to the next non-stop. You will either be in class, studying, getting treatment, or at practice or at individual skill sessions. The athletes who succeed budget their time well!

Make an effort to get to know your teammates and ASK QUESTIONS. The upperclassmen will help guide you through. Do not be afraid to approach them. The sooner you get to know them, the easier the adjustment process will be. Find an upperclassman to connect to for help but ultimately it is your responsibility to pay attention and know what is going on.

If you have conflicts between academic classes and softball activities, communicate with your coach ahead of time so they know, ask them how they want you to handle it. Coaches know there will be conflicts in schedule. You want to alleviate them as soon as possible if you can.

Communicate, communicate, communicate with coaches, trainers, teammates, and professors.

Impress your coach by being in condition and being in good throwing shape. If you are a pitcher be in pitching shape. (May be too late for some of you if you didn’t do your summer work out.)

As a player adjust your perspective of reality. When you were in HS or on your travel team you probably were a star and played at a very high level, you were either a big fish in a small pond, or medium fish in a medium pond. You are now a small fish in a bigger pond and you have to grow into being that same big fish you once were. Everyone on your college team is good or they wouldn’t be there. The pace of the game is much faster, the players are stronger, and the pitchers have better movement. You may not excel immediately at the same level you did in HS. Be patient, learn, and grow. It will come in time, do not get frustrated if you don’t have immediate success. It takes time. Your goal should be to get better every day, not be perfect on day one. “WHEN YOU ARE GREEN YOU ARE GROWING, WHEN YOU ARE RIPE, YOU ARE ROTTEN! GROW, GROW, GROW.

Control your emotions and your focus. Pay attention, stay calm and confident while being focused. Hustle, work hard, and play with high energy. Stay positive when you make a mistake, they will happen. Your coach will see the positive energy. If you pout, stop trying, complain, or question everything, your coach will see negative selfish energy. Who do you think she will like more? Keep your focus outward on team.

Be ready and happy for your playing opportunities. They may not come right away. Again be patient. You earn playing time by being productive in practice with an unselfish attitude.

Understand your attitude needs to be about the team and not just you. The quicker you learn that the better your chances of getting to play.

Try not to compare yourself to other players. EVERYONE has their own growing curve. Some freshmen will get it sooner than others, that’s ok. Keep working. Some players don’t blossom until their junior year but then they elevate to a higher level.

Enjoy the challenges, keep your priorities in order, do the work, and stay positive.

Trust yourself and stay strong mentally. Destroy doubt and replace it with

determination, fight, and trust. College is about the journey. Have fun along the way and find the good in every day. Enjoy the trip. It will be over before you know it. In the end its about how you have grown as a person, the experiences you have and the life long friendships you make, not so much about wins and loses or playing time. They fade but the experience and friendships last a lifetime.

I shared this on my facebook page and had so many shares, I thought it would be beneficial here as well since so many kids are starting school this week and next. Wishing all the new freshmen much success!
 

coachjwb

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Karen ... great advice for all college freshmen .... boys or girls .... student athletes or not!
 

klinder

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Thanks Jeff. I forgot one. If you want to make sure you are on time, be early so you can be composed and ready to focus when class, practice or a meeting begins.
 
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