Generally, when people think of high school in the winter, their first thought is of finals, not sports. Winter athletes, you’re competing during one of the most stressful parts of the year – finals, practices over break, crazy schedules and holidays, but don’t worry. You’ll pull through it, and a lot of times, being involved in sports really does wonders for both your motivation and your health. It’s been scientifically proven that physical activity is extremely good for stress relief, so what better way to combat end-of-semester-stress than with working hard at practice?

Sports are also great because of the people you get to meet. High school is the time to make friends, so reach out to your teammates. There are a lot of things that make athletes great: work ethic, respect, perseverance, responsibility and most importantly, communication. Make sure you communicate with your coaches and teammates – they’re all there to help you, whether it be honing your wrestling technique or trying to balance basketball practice with academics and extracurriculars. They can give you feedback, advice and support. As with all sports, school is supposed to come first, so be sure you’re not procrastinating and giving yourself more wokr than necessary. It’s okay if you feel like you need to take a breather from time to time, just be sure you don’t fall behind.

This seems like an obvious one, but for goodness’ sake, wear a coat if you have to go outside. I’m looking at you in particular swimmers. Missouri’s crazy cold winters are no secret, and if you go out in the cold without proper attire, you’re going to get sick, and that’s not fun for anyone. The little things count when it comes to staying healthy. Wash your hands, be careful about touching your faces or sharing water bottles. Practice time is valuable, so it shouldn’t be missed when it can be avoided.

Most importantly, enjoy yourselves. Winter sports are a great opportunity to make friends all over the map (staying in shape through the holidays is another definite perk!) and learn a thing or two about responsibility, even you upperclassmen. Give it your all, manage your time, celebrate your wins and learn from your losses.