10 Ways to Keep Your Eye on the Ball…And Your Grades

1. Focus! Focus! Focus! The reason you’re in school is for an education—not to play sports. Consider sports as the dessert after a healthy meal full of protein and vegetables. Make sense? The meal is what will keep you strong and healthy; the dessert will keep you feeling pumped!
   
   Now, you must focus on the class. Take notes. Ask questions. Read your book. Make sure you understand what the teacher is explaining to you.
   
   Remember how intensely you focused when you scored the winning goal or hit the home run? Now you need to apply the same determination and concentration to your studies, as well.
2. Incorporate Your Sport Into Your Studying. Did you ever think that sports used many skills like math? Well, consider all of the averages and statistics that you must know for your sport: batting averages, average yards per game, the number of three pointers you can shoot.
   
   So when you are solving math problems, try to make learning fun by thinking of it in sports’ terms. Here’s an example: “Johnny is on the 30-yard line and needs 7 more for a first down. What yard will Johnny be on if he makes a first down?” Know the answer yet?
3. Treat Learning as a Game. If you’re studying for an English or History test, consider working with a friend. Write questions or vocabulary words on 3X5 cards and then head for the basketball court to study. For each card you or your friend answer correctly, you get to shoot a basket. For each one you get wrong, a point gets deducted from your score. The first one with 20 baskets and 20 flash cards right is the winner. Think about it – you’re learning and you’re playing!
4. Grades Always Come First. If your coach hasn’t told you by now your school probably has a policy that states if you don’t make the cutoff grades, then you are benched from the team. This should be incentive enough to make good grades.
5. If You Get Good Grades, Reward Yourself. Let’s say you get a good grade on your math test. Job well done! Maybe you can work out a deal with your parents that if you bring home good grades, then you will get a new pair of shoes or a new basketball. Talk to your parents and see if they will “buy” into this incentive way to strengthen your academics and your game.
6. Get Help. Know when to ask for help. If you are struggling in a class or making poor grades, then ask the teacher for help. See if the teacher can recommend a tutor or someone in class that can assist you. Remember, many schools will not let you play sports unless you make good grades!
7. Do One Class at a Time. In sports, there is a very organized method to learning the skills. Your coach may have you focus on certain calisthenics in a particular order. The same theory goes for when you are studying. Stay organized and don’t skip around. You should stay focused on one class or topic at a time and finish that homework or studying first. Then, move on to the next subject.
8. Use Time Management. Schedule time each day to study, even if it’s just organizing your notebook or folders. Outline your homework before you begin and check off each class after you complete the work. A good rule for excellent time management is to study at the same time each day. That way it will become part of your regular daily regimen.
9. Don’t Get Distracted. In order to effectively study, you need to turn off the cartoons or the sports game on TV. Shut down the computer networking site, your cell phone, and anything else that may interfere with your homework. Think of it this way: if you are distracted in a game, you will get hurt or miss the ball that’s thrown at you. The same holds true for studying. You must stay focused!
10. Take a Time Out. Sometimes it is better to study in spurts – spend 20 or 30 minutes on a subject and then take a time out. Get up for a few minutes. Move around, get a snack, or do some calisthenics. Then get back to the books.