One of the biggest challenges facing high school athletes may be balancing academics and sports. If a student athlete can learn good study habits they will find them helpful both on and off the field.

Teaching yourself a positive work ethic and developing good work habits will help you improve your self-discipline. Developing self-discipline will not only assist you improving your grades but also increase your ability to learn plays and remember strategies. So how does a student athlete develop good study habits, a positive work ethic and self-discipline? They can start by getting organized. When you play high school sports, it is important to know when the games are being held. You can’t compete if you don’t show up. The same is true for academics if you don’t know when an assignment is due you cant get it in on time. If you are seriously about combining academics and sports get a calendar and use it! Write down when assignments are due and when tests will be given.

Serious athletes come to practices and games prepared to play. They may bring equipment, uniforms or pads to help make sure they give their best performance. Keep this in mind when you are going in class be prepared to perform to your academic best by coming prepared. When an athlete does not understand a play, they may ask the coach or another player for clarification. An athlete does this to be sure he or she knows what is going during the game.

Be sure you know what is going on during class too! This means asking questions and/or asking for help when you don’t understand something. As an athlete, you know a portion of your performance in a sport involves mental preparation. If you take the time to exercise your mental preparation by improving how you approach academics, you might find not only an improvement in your grades but in your sports statistics as well.