ATHLETE STRESS MANAGEMENT

Being a student athlete is an amazing adventure filled with lots of good things. When you join a sports team or play for your school, it's a chance to have fun, meet new friends, and work towards achieving your goals. Being a student athlete has many positive outcomes. But it's also important to know that sometimes, being competitive can make you feel stressed.

Signs that someone may be experiencing stress:

• Getting sick more often
• Body aches or soreness
• Headaches
• Changes in sleep patterns
• Increased anger or anxiety
• Isolation or decrease in social activity

STRETCH 7-Step Plan to Manage Stress for Student-Athletes:

1. Speak positively: Be kind to yourself and use positive words, even when you're not feeling great.
2. Tell a support system: Go hang out with a friend. Text or call someone. Talk to a counselor or coach. Just don’t let things stay bottled up.
3. Reorganize your schedule: If the to-do list is making the day too overwhelming, it’s time for some time management.
4. Expect adversity: It's normal to have days when things don't go as planned. Just remember that sometimes you'll face challenges that test how strong you are, but you can handle them.
5. Take things one step at a time. Instead of doing many things just okay, it's better to do one thing really well. Focus on one task at a time and give it your best effort.
6. Chill: Discover what makes you feel relaxed and happy, and make sure to set aside some time to do those things.
7. Have a growth mindset: Reframe a “failure” into an “I tried that and it didn’t work, so now I’ll try this” mindset.