|
|||||||||
|
|
|||||||||
|
Student-athletes notably hold two full-time jobs and in doing so absorb greater responsibility and greater stress. Due to this inherit condition, a number of issues come to the surface that challenge today’s student-athletes. However, in these times of increasing demands, “wellness” or resiliency in the face of stress is achievable by all. Therefore, this article will discuss how the surrounding environment can create this vortex of stress and how anyone can be a better performer on and off the field. Core Issues of Student-Athlete Wellness: Wellness is not complete unless we examine it from a tri-part model. The tri-part model is composed of physical well-being (e.g. eating, sleeping, and physical conditioning), mental well-being (e.g. concentration, focus, internal dialog), and lastly, emotional well-being (e.g. daily regulation, energy management, situational/relationship management). Student-athletes are challenged (as are we) on all three levels on and off the fields of play and the challenge is to become more resilient in the face of increasing stress. This need to be more resilient is particularly important since the lives of college student-athletes have become increasingly demanding. For example, it has been found that NCAA athletes workout, on average, 3 to 6 hours a day. Furthermore, student-athletes also spend an additional 10 to 20 hours focused on their sport (e.g. travel, rehab time, meetings etc.), 8 to 15 hours a week in class (2001, National Student Survey of Student Engagement), and approximately 10 hours per week preparing for class (2001, National Student Survey of Student Engagement). Therefore, when you do the math a student-athlete’s work-week can be a 40 to 60 hour/week! When looking at these statistics, the culture of student-athletes seems eerily similar to the culture of the U.S. workforce. A 60-hour work week was once the path to the top, however, now it is considered practically part-time. In a study conducted by Hewlett & Luce (2007, Harvard Business Review), it was found that in a sample of 1,564 men and women, 56% worked 70+ hours a week, while 9% worked 100 hours or more. Sadly, High School athlete’s statistics look very similar and, thus, inherit these circumstances. All too often, we have the perception that athletes are super-human, larger than life, and unaffected by stress or issues of a clinical nature. My clinical experience does not support the fallacy of super-human athletes, but rather reveals the vulnerability of student-athletes who, at times, work in the extremes. Student-athletes face issues of adapting to the athletic lifestyle, pressures through competition/performance, year-round training, training and overtraining, injury, hazing, academic performance pressures, drug use and testing, disordered eating and eating disorders, mood disorders, etc. Athletes pay a price physically, mentally, and emotionally. Next > |
||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
Endorsement Disclaimer - Links to Other Sites
Our web site has links to other organizations. References in this web site to any specific commercial products, process, service, manufacturer, or company does not constitute its endorsement or recommendation by the Clinical & Sport Consulting Services. Clinical & Sport Consulting Services is not responsible for the contents of any "off-site" web page referenced from this server.
Endorsement Disclaimer - Pop-Up Advertisements When visiting our Web site, your Web browser may produce pop-up advertisements. These advertisements were most likely produced by other Web sites you visited or by third party software installed on your computer. Clinical & Sport Consulting Services does not endorse or recommend products or services for which you may view a pop-up advertisement on your computer screen while visiting our site. Information Disclaimer The information provided using this web site is only intended to be general summary information to the public. It is not intended to be used as a form of assessment, diagnosis, or direct treatment just general information. Viewing this website does not constitute a formal relationship with the members of Clinical & Sports Consulting Services. All furnished contact information is not to be used for crisis or emergency purposes. Instead use your local crisis phone numbers connected to your local Police, Fire Departments, and Hospital Emergency Departments. The contact information provided is for first contact and appointment purposes only. |