As many athletes may know, playing two sports is a tough job, but for athletes that play two sports one right after the other, it is much harder. From keeping up with grades to hanging out with friends in spare time, it takes a toll on many aspects of a normal teen’s life. Sophomore Meg Cohrs, an athlete who goes from basketball in the winter to softball in the spring, said;

“After a long basketball season during the winter, the transition is both physical and mental. Basketball is more physically tiring, but softball is more technical and mental, so I have to get my head right before going right into softball,”

Sophomore Joe Laudont plays basketball in the winter and transitions to baseball in the spring.

“I try to make this transition as simple as possible because I want to be fully ready for baseball. I try to hit once or twice a week during the winter to stay in shape for baseball,” Laudont said.

Decisions like that could help many athletes by staying active in their alternate sport even when it isn’t that season.

Freshman Matthew Redman is planning on making the transition from wrestling this winter to track in the spring.

“I am mentally going to transfer over by restarting my mind so I can forget all that happened in the last sport and focus only on what’s ahead this track season,” Redman said.

Although Redman has never experienced the transition from a winter to a spring sport as a high school student, he is ready for it.

“I don’t really think about it much. I like to play both sports so the transition will be fairly easy,” Redman said.

For most athletes, it is a complete mind game to stay mentally strong during the long seasons. Athletes just have to look at it in a positive way and realize that the choice to play these sports is difficult, but can be good for them.

“It affects me by making my mind make a complete 180. I have to go from basketball and then be ready for baseball a week later,” Laudont said.

Both Cohrs and Laudont agree that it is difficult to keep their grades up during the two seasons.  Athletes have to work extra hard and give up some of their daily or weekly activities, like being with family and friends.

“If someone is having a hard time with grades during their seasons, a great way to keep your grades up  is to come in to school early or stay after class to talk with your teacher about the things you have been struggling with,” Cohrs said.

Injuries may occur with athletes, especially when having no break between two long sports seasons. Playing two sports with possible injuries is a decision that all athletes in this situation have to make

“To avoid most injuries I always stretch before a game or practice, and if I feel any muscle getting sore, I go see the trainer for advice before continuing because I do not want an injury that could result in time out of sports,” Redman said.

“If you injure something in one sport and it doesn’t have the correct amount of time to heal, you can re-injure it,” Cohrs said.

Going right into another sport may put someone at a higher risk for an injury but may also set someone up for success in the long run. It is a risk that athletes need to be willing to take to do what they love.