Having personal goals helped me prepare for my first preseason as a DI athlete. I felt much more confident reporting into preseason after reaching almost all of the goals I set for myself- especially since I was training by myself over the summer.
Being prepared for preseason in any sport happens when you set and surpass your goals. Here are a few I set for myself the summer before my freshman year as a DI athlete.
8 Preseason Goals I Set For Myself
Goal #1: Sticking to my schedule. First, I wanted to complete the very specific summer workout schedule I created. Holding myself accountable and sticking to as many workouts as possible gave me the piece of mind I needed to be in shape. Sticking to my schedule also helped me plan out rest days, which helped me build faster during those three months of summer.
Goal #2: Get in college shape. I might’ve been one of the top girls basketball player in my area, but I knew I’d be starting from scratch at the DI level. Watching women play in college, I knew I’d have to get quicker and stronger. I focused on agility drills over the summer, and while I didn’t make huge improvements, my quickness definitely improved before I reported to campus in September.
Goal #3: Learn the fundamentals. My experience as a high school athlete taught me so much, but one thing I didn’t learn was how to lift. Not understanding the basics made me feel at a disadvantage as I prepared to compete at the next level.
My parents gifted me with a few lifting sessions at a gym that summer. Learning the fundamentals helped build my confidence and prepared me for routines that would be a huge part of my life over the next four years of my college experience.
Goal #4: Build strength. Watching athletes play in college also reminded me how strong they were. Once I felt comfortable with lifting fundamentals, my trainer helped me gradually increase the weights I lifted. Being stronger definitely helped my body get through through preseason without any injuries
Goal #5: Improve weaknesses. Left-handed athletes usually get called out during a game. My dad AKA Coach did a great job in training me to use both hands when dribbling and passing, but there were a few moves and shots that I wanted to master with my right hand. The summer was the perfect time to work on this without any pressure.
Goal #6: Stay Healthy. Competitive athletes can easily burn themselves out. Recovering from a rigorous workout vs. over-training is very different. Each week I’d take a pulse on how I felt to make sure I wasn’t burning myself out. If I felt fatigued, I’d take an extra day to recover or opt for a moderate workout like stationary shooting or stretching vs. conditioning.
For reference, a few symptoms of exercise-related over-training include:
- Seeing a decline or lack of results over time
- Feeling unusually stiff or sore
- A decline in motivation or self-confidence
- Feeling fatigued or really tired throughout the day
- Reoccurring injuries- twists, sprains, fractures, etc.
- A change in sleeping, such as insomnia
- Changes in overall health, such as digestive issues, unplanned weight loss, recurring illness and more
Experiencing any of these symptoms could hinder your preseason preparation.
Goal #7: Focus on mental health. Athletes balance so much, and for me, I put a lot of unnecessary pressure on myself before my freshman year began. I wanted to do well and the desire to excel in school, perform athletically, keep my scholarship and other factors really weighed on me.
One of my most important goals going into college was a practice I tried called guided imagery (thanks dad!). This practice is a sort of meditation where I would take time each week to visualize myself in a peaceful place. I also used this time to visualize myself being successful in all the ways possible at the DI level. Going to that ‘happy place’ in my mind helped me put my anxiety aside and refocus.
Goal #8: Prepare for life at school. If you couldn’t already tell, I like being prepared. This meant working over the summer and saving for dorm room items. By purchasing items in advance of school I was able to move in and set up my dorm room right away. This was super helpful in helping me feel relaxed right before preseason instead of having to take inventory during move-in weekend. Taking multiple trips to Target for snacks, toiletries and a mini-fridge was not something I wanted to do during my first week at school.