The season for fall sports is in full swing. This season includes sports like tennis, men’s soccer and men’s water polo that started in early August and September. First-Year athletes on these teams now have a little more than a month of experience under their belts in their collegiate athletic careers.
Going into the season, First-Year Cole Faux, a member of the men’s water polo team, had a mindset of trying to show off and impress. However, he soon realized that he didn’t need to do that. As the team grew closer and time went on during the season, his mindset changed.
“The first day of practice I had a completely different mentality going in,” Faux said. “First, it was, ‘I hope I do good, and I hope I impressed the coach.’ Now I’m thinking, ‘alright, it’s time to show what I have. I know I have it, and it’s time to have fun.’ It has been a completely different mentality change.”
Each athlete faces different challenges during the course of their first year as a college athlete, but for Faux, he faced an unexpected challenge before he arrived on campus.
“I broke my wrist over the summer, so it was a little hard to get started on practice and everything,” Faux said. “Luckily, it was just at the end of healing when I got here to Augustana. We have the athletic trainers to help us, and then our teammates are always there to help us out as well.”
One of the biggest challenges a First-Year athlete may face is adjusting from highschool to college athletics. It is natural to have a little bit of nervousness due to the change in scenery, but it is important to try to get adjusted quickly. First-Year Colleen Larry is a member of the women’s tennis team who just wrapped up their fall season. Early on, Larry learned the importance of getting used to the new routine.
“I had to settle into it,” Larry said. “I was really nervous and didn’t feel like I played confidently our first couple matches because it was my introduction to college tennis. But towards the end of the season, I felt like I was playing really well. I was playing confidently and wasn’t making a ton of unnecessary mistakes just because I’d gotten used to it.”
Another new aspect that some athletes may find difficult to handle at first is the balancing of social life, athletics and academics. Finding time in between classes and practicing to make time for yourself is important, so you don’t burn out and you can keep a healthy mindset.
“I’d say not procrastinating is the biggest thing,” Larry said. “I try and get my homework done as soon as I have time and just make sure it doesn’t overlap with my sport. I’ve done a lot of homework on the bus rides to different competitions to keep up on it.”
To help athletes adjust and prepare for the upcoming season, some coaches at Augustana will send packets for a training program to the players so that they know how to workout over the summer before they get to the season. First-Year Gonzalo Alberola, a member of the men’s soccer team, found this was helpful to prepare workouts for training during the summer.
“We had a summer program package, so we had to run two miles in 12-13 minutes,” Alberola said. “I did some running in the summer. I try to work out and keep fit. I also did some soccer drills and juggling. Soccer is integrated in my life, so there would be time for it.”
Upperclassmen on these teams play a crucial role in the First-Years getting adjusted as well. As older and more experienced members on the team, it is important they help guide the younger members so that they can have a successful athletic experience as a Viking.
“Our upperclassmen are just amazing,” Larry said. “They’re very accepting. In the first two weeks of preseason, I was super nervous, and I think the other First-Years on the team were as well, but the upperclassmen were super welcoming. They tried to include us in everything possible so we did a lot of team bonding, and I got to know them pretty well.”
As their first season as a collegiate athlete reaches its midpoint, it is important to keep listening to advice and to use it while improving in and out of practice. The cycle of teams hosting recruits on visits is in full swing, and some of the athletes already have some advice they would share with recruits.
“Be excited and be ready for every opportunity you get because it is not going to be easy,” Alberola said. “First-Years sometimes don’t play in their first year. That’s what I learned. So be ready to be sitting on the bench, but also be ready in case you get the opportunity to shine and to strive for being in the starting lineup.”