Winter break is coming up fast, and many of us need the break from school, work, and even sports. But, breaks and school vacations are also a great time to check in with yourself and your college sports journey and evaluate where you are and where you need to be. Follow our tips below for some guidance during your time off.
Make Decisions
Juniors, winter break is a great chance to take time to make decisions regarding what colleges you are seriously interested. For juniors, this may be the beginning of the process, making a complete list of the colleges and athletic programs you’re interested in, and the likelihood that you will be able to play your sport there. Now is the time to reach out to the coaches of the programs you are interested in to learn more and set up some unofficial visits.
Seniors, your list should be much more refined. You should have a top 3 or top 5 colleges and know where you stand with recruiting with each college program. You can narrow down your search or add new options based out what you liked about each school and how interested/ how active they are in recruiting you. Now is a great time to take an official visit or set one up if you have not already.
For more information on recruiting time lines download our free recruiting guide HERE
Make a Game Plan for the Rest of the Year
Juniors, be sure you have an online resume and highlight video (like those at SportsForce) that it is up to date. If you haven’t done so already, be sure to register with the NCAA. Something else important to register for is the SAT or ACT. You want to take these tests early to give you ample time to take them again to improve your scores if needed.
Seniors, your SAT/ACTs should be behind you, but now is the time to follow up. Be sure all the colleges you have applied to have your scores and everything they need to evaluate your application. For the future, mark down the date after you graduation as a reminder to submit your final transcript to the NCAA.
Maintain Performance
It’s pretty easy to let your performance and training regimen go over winter break. If you’re on a team that breaks over winter just like school does, it’s time to become your own training coach. Many athletes need a bit of a break from training between seasons, and that is definitely a good idea. However, don’t break for too long. A week or two should be a good break to let yourself recharge but not let all of your previous training get erased. If you don’t have a gym membership, running and calisthenics are always a great way to maintain your performance level. Breaks are also an excellent time to work on weaknesses you may have noticed during the season. Check out our partner SKLZ for some great training work outs that require minimal equipment.
Have Fun
Lastly, have fun over break! Like we said, a break can definitely be good for you and give you some time to recharge. Rest up, enjoy those cookies, but maybe go for a run or do some pushups before lounging in your pajamas eating Christmas left cookie all day so all your hard work doesn’t go to waste!
