Being Involved as a Student-Athlete

#1 - Pressure | #2 Networking & Fans | #3 Peers | #4 Better Than We Found It

Everytime I stepped on the field, I knew that it was a BLESSING to play for @AuburnSoftball.

It wasn't a right.

I knew that I owed something to my team.

I knew I owed something to the great fans at Jane B. Moore.

I knew I owed something to myself. Most people would view this as a negative.

"This is putting pressure on yourself"

The thing is they are right. I was and I still put pressure on myself every day.

I owe it to everyone that has helped me to be the best I can be. I wanted to honor the sacrifices that everyone has made for me.

I wanted to be as great as I could be. This forced me to hold myself to a standard.

My parents had a lot of late nights and they still went to work the next day.

Victoria Draper

I owe it to everyone that has helped me to be the best I can be. I wanted to honor the sacrifices that everyone has made for me.

Find a map like this at your school. Walk around the day before (with the map) and find your classes!

This also increases your network of people you know after athletics is over. Sure your team may be big (20+ for softball), but there are usually over 300+ Athletes at any given university.

Get to know as many as possible. Building relationships matter.

Spend time with fans, especially younger kids. Everyone knows that little kids look up to athletes, so make sure that you leave a great mark on them.

It is rewarding to see the look in a kids eye when you spend 5 minutes of your day talking to them. #3:

They will be fans for life.

I promise you aren't "that busy".

Cut out Netflix if you have to.

Spend time with people that aren't athletes. Yes, I said it. The kids in your chemistry 101 class are humans just like you. Go study with them. Go out to eat. Be engaged in their conversations.

At @AuburnU, these people will go on to run companies (Tim Cook @Apple). #4:

This will benefit you by working on your interpersonal skills (everyone isn't an athlete) and by strengthing your network.

But once again, this isn't why you do it. You do it because it is the right thing to do. #5:

My final way to be involved is the hardest, but also the simplest.

Be a great example of what people want the student athletes at your university to be.

That's it.

That's the tweet.

Adding your Canvas Calendar to your Google Calendar.

Adding your Canvas Calendar to Google Calendar!

Adding Canvas Calendar to your Google Calendar

Adding the URL from Canvas to your Google Calendar

But seriously, you have the opportunity to do something that people would LOVE to do.

Don't waste it by doing things that don't matter.

Leave a positive mark.

Leave your school and program better than you found it! I hope this was helpful. As always, if you ever need help, please feel free to DM me.