Lucky for you, Team SGP has experienced it all! We compiled a few pointers and tips to help you find the healthiest and happiest balance as you advance in your soccer journey!

PRIORITIZE
What is important to you in-season, post-season or in the off-season? It's crucial to understand what is most important to you when trying to schedule your time.

Ladyballers, it can be intimidating fitting in studying and writing papers in between practice, technical sessions, fitness sessions, extra fitness, film sessions, talks with coach and team social or volunteering events! 

C) Schedule everything. Literally, block off times for WHEN and WHERE you have things going on - even your nap or "free" time!

This is extremely crucial if you have the opportunity to pick your class times. Luckily for in-season athletes, more often than not you get to pick first for classes before the rest of your classmates. This is a MAJOR KEY so that you can schedule classes around your practice and game schedules.

Make sure you pick realistic times so that you are not overwhelmed rushing from one class to another then straight to practice.

Choosing Professors

In addition, ask older teammates about certain professors because there will be times you need to miss class because of an away game or mandatory soccer event. There are some professors who love athletes and some who are stricter...that's just the reality!

Our best advice to you is to:

• A) Pick a professor that works well with athletes
• B) communicate with them early in the year that you may or may not have to miss a class at some point but you'll always provide an absent note from the athletic department
• C) Remind the professor that you'll do everything you can to make up for missed work! 

If you do the above, you'll be A-OK (GET IT? Because chances are you'll get an A?) Alrighty, let's move on.

PICKING A MAJOR

Shout out to you collegiate ladyballers! We know how stressful it can be trying to find a major that works well with your soccer schedule.

Usually, nursing students or engineers have a hard time finding the healthy balance between labs, studying and soccer practices or games!

Our tips to you would be to:

A) Do your research before you pick the university to attend. Ask the coach about his policy with students who have more time-consuming majors.

B) Ask around the team or contact the team captain. Do they have student-athletes who have the major you want? How does their schedule work with soccer? Ask for tips and tell them to be honest! 

C) Ratemyprofessor.com   - Read reviews on your teachers beforehand!

FITTING IN A SOCIAL LIFE

Ladyballer, let's be real. You've lost count with how many proms, sweet 16s and bat mitzvahs you've missed in your lifetime because "you can't you have soccer".

Sometimes, we're just too tired to even go out and socialize! This is where we can go wrong...You NEED to hang out with your friends and family to have a well-balanced life.

Our best advice to you is to:

A) For every invite you say NO, say YES the next time. Even if you go to the party or event for 30 minutes to an hour. Go show your face and get some social time in!

B) Pick roommates who are NOT on your soccer team! All three of us SGP ladies roomed with other athletes on the softball, basketball and volleyball team! Every time we walked into the living room, we relaxed and bonded with other friends who cared about us!

C) If you have time, go grab coffee with a classmate or join a campus club! Just make sure that it's not another sport, your coach will not want you getting hurt.

We hope that these tips were helpful. We wish we found a healthier balance with school, sports, and social life when we were younger. Learn from our mistakes and JUST HAVE FUN WITH IT ALL!