recruiting

Top 5 Tips on How To Survive College Soccer

By SoccerGrlProbs|Updated on June 27, 2023 (originally published on April 9, 2018)

Soccer Grl Probs is going to lend a hand to all the soccer girls in the country, so buckle up and get your popcorn. These Soccer Grl Probs tips will make a difference in your soccer girl life.

1. Stay Organized – Let's be honest, being a full-time student AND a full-time athlete is quite the act of juggling (pun intended). It's true; you may find yourself sprinting with your backpack and soccer bag, all sweaty and disheveled, straight from practice with only seven minutes to make it to your class all the way on the other side of campus. This kind of thing is just part of the life of a student-athlete, and that's why it's important to stay as organized as possible. Whether you come to college organized or not, your sport and school schedule are going to force you to organize and prioritize! Get yourself a planner and keep track of everything from classes to practices to film sessions to exams to game days. Print out your schedules and tape them up in your dorm room and your team locker room, that way you never have to stress about where you're going next. You'll be doing yourself a big favor!

2. Be Coachable – This is not only an essential skill in soccer but also in life. Whether on a team, in a classroom or at your job, you will have to be open-minded and able to work well with others. Being able to adapt to a new position or style of play, is a skill that will help you for the rest of your life whenever a curve ball is thrown your way. Adapting and overcoming = Success!

3. Laugh At Yourself – This one's a lifesaver. As a collegiate athlete, there is so much pressure put on us by others (as well as ourselves) to perform our best, and be in our best shape, and get the best grades and work as hard as humanly possible in all aspects of our lives! But sometimes in the midst of all the seriousness, you have to be able to laugh at yourself in the silly moments. For instance, when your ice pack that you have cellophane wrapped to your hip, melts and leaks through the bag soaking your pants entirely…you're just going to have to choose to laugh at this situation. The little frustrating moments are never-ending, so don't sweat the small stuff and know that sometimes a good laugh at yourself is all you need!

4. Eat For Recovery and Performance – Yes, we highly encourage the occasional indulgence, but we cannot emphasize enough how important your diet is as a student-athlete! Your body undergoes tons of physical and mental stress as a student-athlete. Whether it's cramming in studying for a midterm or preparing for a game/fitness or lifting session – your body needs food that will FUEL YOU! Make sure that you are eating plenty of carbs high in fiber like vegetables and sweet potatoes [the more colorful and green the better], healthy fats such as olive oil, avocado or nuts, and protein such as chicken or steak. This will help you avoid being “HANGRY” at practice, it will help your brain function to the best of its ability in the classroom and will aid muscle recovery and ready you for the next challenge – Did someone say SURPRISE BEEP TEST?

5. Cherish The Moment – When we are caught up going from 6 am wake up calls for practice, then rushing to class only to head back to study and go to sleep early just so you can do it all again, time can pass us by. Please don't forget to cherish every moment that you have as a student-athlete. Hang out with your teammates on and off the field. Mingle with nonathletes. Truly live in the moment. Being a student-athlete is a blessing and privilege – make the most out of your four years so that you have “No regrats, not even one letter.” [Quote from Meet The Millers]