"Without Proper Self Care, I Struggle On The Field"
“Being a student athlete is hard: balancing hectic practice schedules, a social life, and huge workloads from classes that never seem to end. As a senior in high school, I’ve gone through four fall seasons playing field hockey and I will continue for the next four, playing Division III at Hamilton College. If I’ve learned one important thing from my experience as a student athlete, it's that amidst the school stress and athletic grind, taking care of my body and mind is something I cannot let fall off my list of priorities.
I was never a big makeup girl. But in general, taking care of my skin is so important to me. Sweat build up can lead to some seriously bad acne, and since I’m pretty much always sweaty, taking extra care of my skin is huge. My goalie helmet collects a ton of sweat and dirt between its weekly deep wash, meaning my in-season acne can get bad. So in my backpack, I always carry a pack of these Neutrogena cleansing towelettes to use on my face after practice, and some basic Clorox wipes to take care of the bacteria, dirt, and sweat from my helmet after each use (since I can’t get it all with just wipes, a weekly deep wash is a must).
This past season, I always kept an extra mask handy, since I know mine is going to get very sweaty by the end of even the first run test. Off the field, I have a simple 2x-a-day routine - I wash my face with Neutrogena Hydro Boost Cleanser, treat those pimples with Clean & Clear Advantage Acne Spot Treatment, and moisturize with Clean and Clear Essentials Dual Action Moisturizer. In the morning, I use Elta MD UV Daily Broad-Spectrum SPF 40 for some extra protection.
Lots of workouts means a ton of soreness, and while professionals might be getting fancy spa treatments to treat their soreness, using a foam roller can work wonders on sore muscles (hmm, a professional massage does sound nice though). My guilty pleasure after a big game day is a hot epsom salt bath, which feels great and helps relax muscle tightness and my mind, which is key for having to do it all over again the next day.
Over the course of many seasons, I’ve learned that my mental game is just as important as the physical game. Truth is: without proper sleep or self-care, I seriously struggle on the field. Ironically though, I used to hate the phrase “self-care” - it’s too general and not having time to recharge my internal battery made it seem like a tease. But I realized taking care of myself didn’t have to mean taking a whole day off to get a massage, or squeezing in a four-hour nap. I could just take a second to breathe or put my phone away at night to get more sleep. My preferred method of self-care on a time crunch: hanging out with my dog for a few minutes or taking him for a walk without music so I can be in the moment, just the two of us. Don’t underestimate the power of the small things.
On the field, there have been days when I struggled and got in my own head (which is not uncommon for young adults in my position). Those particular days, I do my best to focus on one good thing from that game and leave the mistakes behind me. Being a student athlete is a lot of stress and exhaustion mixed with physical tests of endurance that seem impossible. And really long days. But when you love the sport so much, it’s a basic instinct that reminds you: it’s all worth it. One lesson I will take with me when I play at the next level is taking care of my body and mind doesn’t have to be complicated. It doesn't need to be one more source of pressure. A few minutes of me time is all I need until I’m back out there, doing what I do best.”
- Audrey Alix