It's that time of year again…it's time for college preseason! Preseason is a stressful time for everybody. Fitness tests, scrimmages, and meeting new people are all super scary and stressful things. Especially when you are a freshman and you're moving away from home without any of your friends; it can all be terrifying. As a recent college graduate, I went through 4 preseasons (3.5 with COVID) with my soccer team and consider myself a bit of an expert on the stress levels before college preseason. Here are the tips that I wish I had learned before my first college preseason:

1. Come into preseason in the best shape of your life

This might seem obvious and a little intimidating, but preseason is the time to prove yourself to your coach and teammates. Being able to pass any fitness tests and outperform people in drills and scrimmages will definitely bump you up in your coach's eyes. 

2. Talk with the other freshmen before preseason starts

All of the other freshmen on your team are in the same boat as you. They are worried about being fit enough, playing well, and being able to fit in with the team. Talking to the other freshmen will relieve any anxieties you are having about preseason. They might have some advice that they heard from other players or you can always just talk about how your training is going and what you are nervous about for the season.

3. Talk with the upperclassmen before you get there

This can seem scary, but the upperclassmen are your teammates and they are going to want to help you. They have gone through preseason multiple times at your school so there really is nobody better to talk to than them.

4. Don't be afraid to ask questions!

Even if you think your question is a dumb one, it's better to ask something dumb than to do something dumb. There's no better way to be physically and mentally prepared for preseason than to ask any questions you have. Even the small ones are ones that your teammates and coaches will be happy to answer.

5. Preseason is still a tryout

Even though you have been recruited and have a spot on the roster, preseason is still a tryout for playing time. You want to prove to your coaches and teammates that you deserve time on the field/court. As a freshman, you can't always expect to start right away, but playing time is certainly something you can earn.

6. It's okay to make mistakes

No athlete is expected to be perfect, not even the pros. Allow yourself some extra grace during the first couple of weeks. Stress levels will be off the roof, and the more angry you get at yourself for making mistakes, the more mistakes you are going to make. 

7. 2aDays!

This might sound biased, but I 100% wish I had known about the 2aDays website. You are able to see current reviews that players left about the coach you are going to be playing for. These reviews can give you some tips about your coach's philosophy about playing time, games, and practices. The website blog also has tons of information about how to prepare for preseason, summer fitness packet tips, nutrition tips, injury information, and much more. The information on the website would have surely relieved a lot of stress I had for my first college season.

8. The fitness test is not the only preseason test

The summer before my first college preseason, I spent almost all of my time training for the fitness test. Sure, this got me in great shape and I ended up being able to pass the test on the first try, but there were a lot of other things I forgot to do in my training. That summer, I barely played my sport. I was so focused on my fitness, that when I arrived at my first practice, I was a little bit rusty. It is certainly important to be able to pass your fitness test, but how you play on the field or court is the most important thing that a coach will see.

9. Lift!

I had no idea how to lift when I first got to college. All I knew how to do was run and play soccer, so that is what I did. I had a bit of a wake-up call in my first college game when I got trucked by someone double my size and had to sit out for the rest of the game because they thought I had a concussion. No matter what your sport is, the athletes in college are going to be so much faster and stronger than they were in high school. If you come into your first season strong and able to hold your own against upperclassmen, this will give you a huge advantage in your playing abilities. 

10. Hydrate

Preseason in August is hot. Especially if you play on a turf field or in a non-airconditioned gym. Water and electrolytes are going to be your best friends during the summer season. Being hydrated will give you a ton more energy and allow you to play longer in the hot sun. 

11. Get used to running in the heat

Sure, it is nice to wake up early before the sun is at its peak or after it has set, but chances are, you are not going to have the luxury of these practice times during college preseason. Definitely don't go out to train when it is dangerously hot outside, but you should allow your body to get used to the heat multiple times before the season starts so that you don't have to adjust when you get there.

12. Have a support system

During preseason, your sport is going to take up a ton of your time. You are going to be exhausted every day, so my advice is to have friends or family that you can talk to and take your mind off of everything. I found that it was always nice to debrief the day with someone who wasn't on my team. I also really enjoyed hearing about what my parents and friends were up to while I was sweating my butt off.

13. Make sure you try out all of your equipment before preseason

Every single preseason, someone came to the first practice with brand-new cleats. You would think that as athletes who have been playing their sport for over a decade that they would know better, but this happened every year. Break in your new cleats, try out your new stick, and play in any new padding you have before preseason starts. There is nothing worse than trying to run a fitness test with blisters from your new shoes.

14. Don't try to push through an injury

As much as you want to work your butt off before the season starts, it is possible to work too hard. If you feel an injury coming on, it's okay to take a rest day. It is better to miss a workout than to be out for preseason or even longer. You don't want all of your hard work to go to waste. 

15. Bring a foam roller or roller stick

I don't care how fit you are coming into preseason, you are going to be sore. Rolling out with a foam roller or a roller stick before bed will help so much with everything you are putting your body through. If you can, I would even suggest a massage gun to help with the soreness.

16. Have fun!

Everything might seem super scary and stressful now, but preseason was always one of my favorite times of the school year. You don't have to worry about classes and you just get to play the sport that you've played since you were a little kid. If you allow yourself to have fun, you are going to perform so much better.