scschroc@mavs.coloradomesa.edu

Successful students who are involved in extracurricular activities are a different breed compared to the rest of a school’s population. Whether it’s playing an instrument, dancing, tutoring or competing in sports, we have more pressure and less time. Balancing school, work and practice is tough. If being a collegiate student-athlete isn’t hard enough already, medical redshirting can make life miserable for the injured athlete.

We pick up our share of injuries and are forced to occasionally sit out, whether it’s a couple practices or a couple weeks. Nothing is more shattering than being out for a whole season. I stretched and tore tendons in my ankle in April, and it has by far been the longest and mentally challenging period in my life.

We still do everything with the team as if we weren’t injured. We go to practice, but have to watch. Attend every meeting and film session, but can’t improve because there’s no play to improve on. Every day I find myself doing rehab, thinking, “When is this going to end? I just want to play already.”

Being mentally tough is crucial. If you can stay focused in school and stay positive you will come out better than you were before.

Redshirting means you have to put even more work in, individually, than you ever have. The rest of the team is playing and getting more fit, which means you have to make time to go to they gym and be more disciplined with your food choices.

A major downfall I’ve seen among redshirting athletes is the amount of partying that occurs. They have many more opportunities to go out and drink, which ends up hurting the chance of returning strong.

If I had one piece of advice for redshirts it would be to treat yourself, both physically and mentally, as if you were playing every game. Find something that keeps you hungry for success. I have little sayings for myself that keep me going even when I feel like I can’t keep sitting out.

Finally, don’t give up. Do everything you can to better yourself. If there is one thing I’ve learned over the past six months, it’s that perseverance is strength. Eat right, do your work, accomplish goals and set high standards for yourself. In the end, you are the only one who knows if you’ve done everything you can to get back to playing.