Being a varsity basketball player in high school is often the launch pad for many pro athletes. This is when they learn the fundamentals and develop the mental fortitude needed. High school is where student-athletes are first tested. If their academics are on point, and they impress the scouts, they make it to the next stage: college ball.
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College, however, is a different animal altogether. The competition is tougher, and the pressure the athletes feel is much more stressful. And when it comes to competition, it doesn’t just mean during games against other teams, it also means in the school itself. Universities usually recruit more players than they need and cut the team before naming an official squad.
And if that wasn’t enough, the academic requirements in college are much more difficult to complete, which means varsity players will have to spend double the time studying than they did back in high school.
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It’s a great leap, but it can be done. Here’s how.
For starters, varsity athletes have to set a schedule for themselves and stick to it like glue. There should be no room for “extra-curricular activities” if they want to pass their subjects and be successful in college sports. Their schedules should also take into account all the time they need to rest their bodies and their minds to avoid burnout and meltdown.
Once they’ve disciplined themselves by sticking to their schedule, everything else will follow.
Stephen Varanko III has an impressive list of academic, athletic, and leadership accomplishments from his high school years in Randolph Macon Academy. For more on Stephen, check out this site.
