By: Madison Fortney
As Covid-19 hits the world head on, athletes continue to be affected by this quarantine. Without access to the gym or training with their team, many athletes have started to slack off.
Dieting and exercise begins to get harder when you’re stuck at home all day with tons of sugary and fat snacks in your pantry. Many athletes from Redwood wish to stay in shape and play their sport while quarantined but some aren’t able to reach this goal.
1 month of not practicing your throw, kick, strike, or swing and you will lose skill. Without practice, everyone will lose skill. It doesn’t matter if you play for a professional team or high school.
Many athletes’ sleep schedules have been completely destroyed over this quarantine. Student athlete Clarissa Martinez, ’23 says, “Some nights I sleep until 6pm and then I will stay up until the next day, then I won’t want to workout because I’m so tired.” Not sleeping affects an athlete in many ways.
Your body needs time to heal and recuperate. When you sleep, your bones and muscles repair themselves, so you’re ready to train again. Having 8 hours of good sleep makes you feel happier, and you will have less anxiety by 60%. Being happier will drive you to want to practice your sport even more.
Without practice you will lose skill and get way out of shape. Taking 1 month off can make an athlete lose 5 months of skill they once had. Although it’s easy to stop running and practicing, you always have to remember the effects it will have on you after the quarantine.
Olivia Saenz, ’23 says, “I wasn’t practicing constantly for only one month, but when I started to practice more I realised how out of shape I was. Me and Maddie practice twice a week and now that we are getting those touches in, each exercise and drill is getting easier.”
As Redwood athletes practice social distancing, they still need to focus on their goals and stay in shape. This break from school is going to really separate athletes from each other. If you’re training you will be in the best shape of your life. If you aren’t, then you will lose skill and energy. This will eventually affect your sport.
Many coaches have a strong opinon on their athletes’ health during Covid-19. Track coach Travis Roebuck says, “As a coach, I feel student athletes are going to either excel or fall further behind depending on their individual determination. Some athletes will commit to workouts, weight training, etc. and as a result they will be a step above your normal athlete. On the other hand, athletes who do not continue with training or workouts will fall further behind when the time comes to compete. “
Redwood athletes should be practicing their sport 3 times each week with cardio everyday. We have the most time in our lives right now. You have no excuse to not practice. So get off the couch and go outside. Go for a run or just do something active. Try to avoid bad snacks, and instead find a healthier option. Make sure you work on your skill. Keep grinding out and practicing everyday. It will eventually help you become a great athlete.
Tags: athletes, healthy, practicing, rhs sports