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College is a time to have fun and learn more about who you want to be and what you want to do for the rest of your life. However, for college athletes, there can be a lot of stress and pressure. Many athletes attend college on scholarships, and they feel pressured to perform well because of it.
For larger universities with prestigious baseball programs, that pressure is even greater. Not only do players have to maintain good grades and healthy social lives, but they need to establish healthy relationships with their coaches and teammates, stay in top physical condition, and deal with the pressure to succeed and win every season.
Needless to say, college baseball players deal with a lot of added stress that the general student body doesn’t face.
Sound familiar? If you play college ball or know someone who does, being able to manage stress effectively is essential. So, what can you do to mitigate the stress from classes and the game itself?
Take Care of Your Body
As a baseball player, you already know the importance of physical fitness. The more you train and practice, the better your game will be. However, it’s a good idea to change your perspective on exercise from time to time. Instead of constantly looking at it as a way to improve, think of it as a way to boost your mental and physical well-being. Try restorative and calming workouts like yoga or swimming.
Change your routine and consider working out with a friend to keep you motivated and excited. When exercise becomes less of a chore and more of an enjoyable experience, you’ll reap the rewards.
In addition to moving your body, how you fuel it is just as important. Eating overly-processed foods or partaking in a diet high in sugar and trans fats can leave you feeling sluggish and might even lead to symptoms of depression. Choose foods that will boost your energy throughout the day and maintain a healthy diet as often as possible.
You can even add more foods that are known to combat stress by lowering levels of cortisol in your body, including
- Avocados
- Bananas
- Broccoli
- Dark chocolate
- Pumpkin seeds
- Spinach
Finally, make sure you’re prioritizing sleep. We know the old stereotypes about college students staying up all night and surviving on ramen noodles and Redbull are alive and well, but you won’t be doing your mental health any favors. Insufficient sleep can increase stress levels, and too much stress can make it harder to sleep, creating a vicious cycle that’s difficult to escape.
Practice Healthy Coping Strategies
Different coping strategies are designed to combat stress and give your mental health a boost. Healthy coping requires finding strategies that fit your needs and lifestyle. Some of the best strategies to follow are
- Distraction
- Soothing
- Balancing
Distraction is different than avoiding the problem or denying it. Rather, it’s taking a temporary “pause” from it by focusing on something else. By distracting yourself from your stress, it won’t feel as overwhelming.
A soothing strategy could be something as simple as taking a few deep breaths to listen to your favorite music. It’s a great way to calm down quickly, and can help to prevent stress-induced conditions like the “Yips.” If you’re a baseball fan, you already know all about this problem, where anxiety and neurological factors cause players to “lose their ability to perform” in a sport they have always excelled in. Greats like Jon Lester and Rick Ankiel have both famously dealt with this problem in past games – they could’ve used a soothing strategy!
A balancing strategy requires you to be honest about how you’re feeling and open with your emotions. You might start journaling to get your feelings on paper, or talking to someone when you’re feeling overwhelmed.
Finding the right coping strategy is essential to managing your stress effectively. There will be many negative and potentially dangerous coping techniques trying to throw you off along the way, including alcohol and substance abuse. However, those could end up damaging your health, your baseball career, and your future.
Manage Your Mental Health
As an athlete, you know the importance of taking care of yourself, physically. It’s easier to stay in shape and practice preventative care rather than wait until there’s a problem or you’re feeling sick.
It’s just as important to practice preventative care for your mental health. That requires doing things every day that can boost your mental well-being. While that looks different for everyone, it could include things like
- Spending more time outside
- Exercising
- Meditation/mindfulness
- Prioritizing social interactions
There’s no denying that college ballplayers have a lot of stress on their shoulders. Even if you think you’re managing it well, you could just be ignoring your feelings or trying to brush them under the rug. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge your emotions – they will eventually demand to be felt, anyway!
By recognizing when you’re stressed, you’ll be more inclined to do something about it. Keep these ideas in mind to manage your stress safely and effectively, so you can enjoy your experience both as an athlete and a student.
