Pressure to Play

Playing outside the season of sport in High School athletics has become expected. So much so, that if you do not, your commitment is questioned. With the recent change in the association rule, the demand by high school programs of their athletes is now coming into conflict with healthy activities not a part of athletics. When a family has to choose between spending time together on a holiday weekend or attending some required off season activity, this is evidence that the writers of the association rule were miles ahead of their time. Add to this, Club coaches wanting a piece of the student athletes' time and making their desires known, this produces an interesting tug of war in which neither side may win and the athlete will certainly lose.

I can remember as a student athlete looking forward to opening day. The long awaited time had finally come and there was this unmistakable excitement in the air. It truly was a Big Deal. Now, with year round play and the controlled structure of 6 days a week summer, fall and winter; by the time spring gets here, opening day is just another day.

There is a line between being prepared and being over worked and that line can be the difference between your team's success or failure down the stretch.