By Amy Nickerson, M.A.
Engagement Insider
Now that summer is upon us, I thought it would be timely to go over something that many parents of student-athletes experience….CRAZY SCHEDULES and the stress and tension that comes with the territory!
Of course, you probably feel the financial pinch from funding so many camps, clinics, trainers and so on. Money is definitely an issue (more on that in a future article). However, one area that deserves more attention is the physical and emotional toll taken on parents of aspiring scholarship athletes.
Just how can you possibly get it all done? Many parents of student-athletes give a new meaning to the term “multitasking.” Although I am a year removed from all of the madness created by my twin student-athletes’ hectic schedules, it still amazes me (when I look back and think about ALL that had to be done in a single day) that I survived. Not only was I frequently stressed out from the enormity of my daily duties, but I was also worn down physically. I experienced frequent back pain and stiffness (from sitting in stands all day), rarely got enough sleep, and put on some extra pounds from inevitable late-night eating or eating “on the run.”
Here’s a sample of what a typical day (Monday) looked like during the summer. Of course, this was subject to change at any minute. This happened to be a light day for our family – things got even more hectic when needing to travel to tournaments or camps, during football two-a-days, or when one of the kids was rehabbing from an injury (ouch!) and required several trips per week to the physical therapist.
7AM Breakfast for kids. Make sandwiches for later.
8AM Run to grocery store for water and Gatorade.
9-11AM Run daughter to basketball practice, son off to his morning football workout. Wait in car. Do Bills, make phone calls, go over TO DO list, write, catch up on everything in my “mobile in box”.
12PM Pickup from practice. Lunch.
1PM SAT Prep class 2 hours. While waiting, try to run a few errands, make calls, etc.
3 PM Leave SAT PREP. Visit trainer. Speed and agility work. Run to post office.
5PM Grab a post-recovery shake. More errands.
6PM Daughter’s other practice until 8PM (wait in car – too far to go home. Return emails, quick run to nearby grocery store for more food and, if I’m lucky, maybe walk around the neighborhood to get some exercise).
Meanwhile, my son has football practice at the same time!
9PM Home. People need food! No choice but to eat this late. Make dinner. Pile dishes into sink to soak.
10PM Laundry (dirty workout gear, grass-stained football pants, oh no, did I remember to take out the pads?)
11PM Finally get around to personal things, more emails, prepping for another day! Ice my back, which is aching from sitting, driving, etc. (Did I mention finally trying to get an update from my husband, who is a coach, and who’s also managing his own coaching juggling act?)
Look familiar? The amount of pressures and stress that parents endure as a result of their student-athletes’ needs (and wants) is phenomenal. While all of this was an extreme juggling act for me, I happened to be a stay-at-home mom at the time. I had the “free time” to accommodate my kids’ schedules. But what about parents who work outside of the home? Or what about single parents who try to keep up with these crazy schedules but simply can’t do everything? Just the thought of it all creates stress!
Parents sacrifice so much while trying to help their overscheduled young student-athletes reach their full potential. Your personal lives certainly take a hit, and so can your entire family. With such little free time, you rarely have the chance to interact as a family the way you used to before all of the athletic hoopla began.
Now that I’m on the other side, what is my advice? Hang in there. Try to relax. Do the best you can. Set limits when you can. Investigate carpools or ride-sharing. When kids start driving, it gets easier. Talk to other parents about how you feel. Sometimes just hearing that others experience the same thing can help. But don’t stress too much. In just a few years, it will all be over. This too shall pass!
Until next time,
Your All-Pro Team Mom