Next Sunday, America will be glued to television sets to watch the biggest sporting event of the year. The Super Bowl! The Super Bowl is a big deal. Getting to the Super Bowl inspires many questions, such as: What did it take to get the two teams to this showdown? How do these professional athletes prepare for the game? And what does this have to do with you as a student, anyway?
You might be surprised to learn that the road these winning athletes and their teams took to get them to this year’s Super Bowl is a very similar path taken by successful students.
Just as football players prepare all year for this one-day, successful students do what it takes to make sure they are ready, every day, for their classes, assignments, projects, and tests. What are the shared secrets between football and students? Here then, are some of the same strategies and study skills both students and professional athletes use to win in their respective Super Bowls.
Practice and plan ahead.
On the field and in school, practice makes perfect. Athletes plan in the weeks leading up to the Super Bowl. When will they practice? How many plays must be memorized? When will they hit the gym? When will time be spent with their families? It’s a juggling act, no doubt, just as it is with students. Students have the same juggling act, balancing school, sports, family, and friends. Both athletes and successful students juggle their various responsibilities and manage their hectic schedules, and practice over and over so that both can achieve victory on game day.
Play to win.
The main purpose of a football game is to win and declare victory over the other team. The more players practice and prepare, the better chance they have of scoring touchdowns and winning. Likewise, a student scores a touchdown when they get the results – grades – they want. Successful students know that the more they study and review, the better chance there is for the desired result. Unlike professional athletes, however, students don’t have to worry about a winning or losing team – they only have to focus on themselves. To win, all a student has to do is set a goal, plan a strategy to get there, and then methodically work the plan. The whole class can get A’s if they are adequately prepared, and then everyone wins!
Keep skills fresh.
Football players keep their skills fresh and up to date. Coaches and players watch reruns of games to analyze what skills worked and what plays didn’t. They go to the gym and work their muscles, every day, no matter what. Successful students work their thinking muscles every day, too, to keep their skills fresh. Is the mathematical calculation clearly understood? What about the theme of the novel you’re studying? Are the instructions for the project clear? Is that test-taking strategy working, or does it need to be revamped? Winning students make sure their knowledge is fresh, thorough, and ready to go.
Use your coaches.
There is no “I” in team, whether you’re playing football or studying history. Football players need the assistance of other players, coaches, assistant coaches, and athletic trainers to succeed and establish victory. So do students. To do well in school, students need the coaching and support of their teachers, school, family, and friends. Don’t be afraid to lean on others to help you achieve success.
Maintain a winning attitude.
Only one thing is certain in the Super Bowl. there will be one loser and one winner. Guaranteed. Similarly, even the best students don’t always achieve their version of success. Sometimes a student doesn’t win the game, and sometimes a less-than-stellar grade is received. If this happens, do like the pros and say. Not every game can be won. Instead of dwelling in despair, think about what you can do the next time to improve. Use your loss as fuel to succeed in future assignments. You learn something every single time you are tested in life.
Summary
At school and on the field, we want to win. How do we get there? Practice makes perfect, and we plan to organize our busy schedules. Demanding ourselves as we demand our teams is the way to win our own game as a successful student. Making sure we understand the material and keeping our skills fresh will provide a great foundation for success. Relying on our coaches, and maintaining a positive attitude, will guide you and keep the path to winning in sight.
You can be sure that your favorite football player, and team for that matter, will use these strategies to win on Sunday.
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