Tiffany Allen

Today, August 4, 2022, marks the beginning of the weekend to celebrate the 4th
Annual Campbell Trophy Summit [https://www.campbelltrophysummit.org/]. This
prestigious summit assembles past and present award nominees, distinguished
entrepreneurs, leading CEOs and other athletes who have benefited from Bill
Campbell’s passion and purpose. 

The goal of the Campbell Trophy Summit each year is to celebrate past and
present winners and nominees, while creating an atmosphere to share powerful
concepts, and create a forum for exchanging ideas to foster personal growth and
empowerment. The William V. Campbell Trophy aligns with GMTM’s core belief, that
sports is a vehicle for opportunities. 

The summit weekend, hosted at Stanford University, includes a variety of
activities and notable attendees. From workshops and presentations, to speakers
and mentors, it is a weekend full of networking, idea sharing, and inspiration.
The speakers and mentors over the weekend will include an impressive lineup
including industry leaders like, Jeff Weiner (CEO of LinkedIn), Steve Young
(Former NFL player; Current Co-Founder and Managing Director at HGGC), Diane B.
Greene (Former CEO Google Cloud and Co-founder of VMWare), and many others. 

William V. Campbell Trophy Summit | Brand Smith, Intuit CEOGMTM
[https://gmtm.com/home] CEO & Co-Founder, Joey Grant, is one of the select
number of attendees who were invited to attend the summit this weekend. In 2015,
Joey was named one of 135 semifinalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy. This
honor recognizes an individual as the nation’s top football scholar-athlete. To
be considered, an athlete has to meet the highest standards based on performance
in the classroom and on the field, while also demonstrating outstanding
leadership in their community.

Orlando Sentinel | Joey GrantAs a nominee and semifinalist, Joey had
demonstrated his impact on and off the playing field. While starting at Center
for the Knights, Joey had maintained a 3.8 GPA during his time at UCF, while
completing two master’s degrees. He was the first active UCF student-athlete to
be accepted into the DeVos Sport Business Management graduate program. Joey also
spent time volunteering as a coach with the Special Olympics, and his
philanthropic efforts sent him to New Orleans for the St. Bernard Project and
Hope for Stanley.

Congratulations to each and every William V. Campbell Trophy award winner and
nominee, past and present. To be nominated for the award is an honor and an
accomplishment worth celebrating. 

From our team at GMTM, best of luck to all of this year’s nominees.

Advancing GMTM’s Mission at the William V. Campbell Summit

It’s a little unusual for a successful football player to only start playing the
sport once they reach high school. Athletes who go far in any sport, generally
start playing pretty young. But, not always. Success can come to athletes in a
variety of ways and the path does not always look the same for everyone.

Take Jordan McCray for example. Jordan didn’t begin playing football until he
was in 9th grade.  Usually this is way too late for most players hoping to make
it to an elite level. Not for Jordan. Jordan is one of those rare cases where he
may have started a sport late, but he went on to make waves and his career
history [https://gmtm.com/athletes/1336996/jordan-mccray/career] reflects that. 

The Early Days

Jordan began playing football at Miami Southridge Senior High School. After high
school, Jordan followed in his older brother’s footsteps (Cliff McCray) and
chose to join the UCF football program. He and his twin brother, Justin McCray,
both played offensive line for the Knights.

Jordan & Justin McCray | UCF Knights FootballThe UCF football program was
undergoing a lot of changes and transitioning from an Adidas to a Nike school
when Jordan became part of the team. As a freshman, he was named to the
Conference USA All-Freshman Team and continued to become a more integral member
of the team throughout his senior year. Jordan was recognized with several
different honors, including selection to All-American Athletic Conference First
Team, Phil Steele’s Postseason All-American Athletic Conference First Team. He
also earned a spot on Sporting News’ All-American Athletic Conference Team.

To cap off his college career in the best way imaginable, Jordan was part of the
Knights’ team that upset the Baylor Bears in the 2013 Fiesta Bowl. Winning 52–42
for the first BCS bowl victory in program history and while being considered one
of biggest upsets in BCS history at the time. 

Career After Graduation

After graduation, Jordan was signed by the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted
free agent in 2014. During his time in the NFL, Jordan played for a few
different teams over the years. From the Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers,
to the Chicago Bears. 

In early 2022, Jordan was still passionately pursuing a path toward playing
football and was looking for an opportunity to continue competing. And that’s
when his phone rang.

2022 was the inaugural season of the United States Football League (USFL).
Jordan had expressed interest in becoming part of the new league. He wanted a
way to stand out and make a name for himself as the season’s draft approached in
February.

He began building connections with coaches at the Birmingham Stallions
[https://gmtm.com/organizations/248547/birmingham-stallions]. They wanted to
learn more about Jordan and see if he had what they were looking for. The
easiest way for Jordan to impress the coaches was to send them highlights, stats
and details on his career history. To showcase his talents and skills in the
best way possible, Jordan sent the Stallions’ coaching staff his GMTM profile
[https://gmtm.com/athletes/1336996/jordan-mccray/feed]. 

The coaches thanked him for the information and said they would get back to him
in about 48 hours once they had a chance to review his profile. Within 30
minutes, the team called him back to tell him that he was going to be their
number one pick.

Jordan was drafted as the fifth center and the first selection at the position
by the Birmingham Stallions.

At the beginning of 2022, Jordan was not actively on a team or competing in the
sport he loves so much. Within just 7 short months, Jordan went from not having
a team to winning the USFL Championship alongside his Birmingham Stallions’
teammates.

The Athlete Journey Continues

Jordan’s story doesn’t end there though. Fresh off of his USFL season, Jordan
went back home and decided to spend some quality time with his girlfriend and
friends. They were enjoying time at the beach together, when someone from a
neighboring cabana approached them. Jordan ended up chatting with the person
about playing football. The person turned out to be Aveion Cason, a retired NFL
veteran, who worked as a scout for a few years after his playing career ended.
Jordan and Aveion had a mutual friend in common, Ray McNeil (former teammate of
Jordan’s and coach at Trench Academy). 

Ray vouched for Jordan and his talents, and asked if Aveion could reach out to
some of his connections to help get Jordan get into an NFL camp this season.
Aveion agreed and asked Jordan to send him some film from this past season.
Looking for advice on what would be best to send to Aveion, Jordan reached out
to his good friend Saeed Lee (DB coach at Grambling State University). Now that
all of Jordan’s career history is available on his GMTM profile, he was able to
share his profile and everything they were looking for with a single link.
Jordan shared his profile with Aveion and Saeed. 

Saeed ended up passing Jordan’s profile along to Hue Jackson (Head Coach at
Grambling State). Hue agreed to pass along Jordan’s profile to his connections
in hopes of also   helping make introductions. About a week passed, and Saeed
messaged Jordan an amazing update. Hue uncovered an XFL coach who loved Jordan’s
profile and wanted to connect with him.

“While it isn’t an NFL opportunity, it is still a great opportunity nonetheless!
All made possible from having easily accessible film, and a platform that
highlights it.” - Jordan McCray

Jordan McCray | Chicago BearsNo two athlete journeys look the same and you can
see that Jordan’s path is continuing to evolve, week after week. Our team at
GMTM recognizes that, and it’s why we’re so passionate about connecting athletes
like Jordan to opportunities at every level. 

Great moments are born from great opportunities. Start telling your story today
[https://gmtm.com/] and see what opportunities you might uncover.

A GMTM Athlete’s Path to Success: Jordan McCray

Matt Wright

This weekend's tragic death of a Virginia Union University football player has
brought up the often forgot about topic of athlete health, especially during the
hottest days of Summer. Though the cause of death is not known in the case of
Panther's defensive end Quandarius Wilburn, it does spark a much needed review
on ways athletes can stay healthy on and off the field. You can read the full
story here
[https://richmond.com/sports/college/vuu-football-player-dies-after-collapsing-during-conditioning/article_9fc1e900-cd9f-5422-8e07-d1de9910a8de.html]
. 

High School and College athletes are known for pushing past pain and fatigue in
hopes of landing a coveted spot at the next level. This often comes at the risk
of severe injury, or worse, by not taking care of themselves health wise. Though
not exhaustive, this list of tips will help ensure you or your athlete stay
healthy this summer/fall season. 

Image via unsplash.com [https://unsplash.com/photos/bwFW9PTJZx8]Stay Hydrated
Sounds simple, right? When you get thirsty drink water, right? In reality, by
the time your body is telling you it's thirsty you are already in the early
stages of dehydration. And when you use as much energy as athletes do, coupled
with the amount of sweat expelled from your body, simply drinking water isn't
enough. 

To stay hydrated before, during, and after playing/practice, incorporate foods
into your diet which are high in water content. These foods include fruits such
as watermelon, grapes, oranges, and strawberries just to name a few. Many
vegetables are high in water content, such as carrots, zucchini, and cucumber.
The key is to use these foods to help replenish and build your body's water
supply naturally versus gulping abnormal amounts of water or sports drinks,
which doesn't add much to your overall health. 

Balance Sodium
We here often how bad too much sodium is for our bodies. What we don't here
often is how much our bodies need sodium, or salt. The average person only needs
2,000 mg of sodium, on average, per day. When getting this amount of sodium per
day, even a regular exerciser, meaning someone who exercises 30-60 minutes a day
5-7 days a week, doesn't need any additional sodium in their diet. Athletes,
however, do. 

Athletes produce massive amounts of sweat which essentially leaches sodium from
their bodies. When this sodium loss isn't supplemented, adverse health issues
might occur, such as cramps and headaches. These often happen during exertion,
so you need to plan ahead to combat it. 

Many sports drinks do have sodium and/or electrolytes in them. The problem with
these, though, is the added sugar which is not needed. Instead of sucking down
excessive amounts of those drinks, try eating foods rich in sodium a couple of
hours before play or practice time. These can be crackers or pretzels. 

On the flip side, some can be too sensitive to sodium, meaning it could cause a
rise in their blood pressure. If you are in this category, check with you team's
medical experts to see what they recommend you do to balance your sodium. 

Stretching
All athletes in all sports are accustomed to stretching together during the
warmup portion of the practice or game. What doesn't happen often, though, is
stretching after play is over, and in the days following. Stretching should be
done every day as part of your normal workout and exercise routine. Without
proper stretching you are opening yourself up for muscle cramps, or more severe
sprains and tears. 

Get proper nutrients throughout the week
Many teams have a team meal the day of a game meant to fuel your bodies for that
evening's matchup. The problem with this is the body doesn't have time to
process the meal and pull the nutrients from the food before your team plays. 

Food takes at least 24 hours to digest through our bodies, sometimes even
longer. The best way to ensure you have the nutrients you need to exert yourself
during practice or a match is to eat proper foods throughout the week rather
than "carbo-loading" the day of, or even the day before. While we practice to
play better, we should be eating better throughout the week as well. 

At the very least, the night before a hard practice or game is when you should
have a meal rich in protein, fats, and carbs to ensure you have the calories in
store to exert the next day. 

This isn't an exhaustive list, nor one meant to fully prevent any injury or
tragic loss. It is, though, meant to be a starting point to ensuring you and/or
your athletes are physically ready to play while avoiding any adverse reactions
to their health.

Four Keys To Staying Healthy On And Off The Field

Scotty Jenkins

"Sports are going borderless." That is how GMTM founder Joey Grant sums up the
unlimited reach his company's platform has offered to coaches looking for
talent. Within the social network his team is building, scouts and recruiters
are able to interact with more athletes than ever - far beyond where they were
looking just a few years ago.

In an article he published on Medium
[https://medium.com/@JGrant55/international-athletes-coaches-are-breaking-geographic-barriers-to-find-better-career-ed49fcb9ce17]
, Grant outlined his vision that has begun to come to fruition,

> "Premier organizations at every level of sport — youth sports, D1-D3 colleges,
NFL & NBA, Olympic National teams, and brands, are using GMTM to simplify their
operations to focus on delivering access in order to maximize opportunities for
athletes."
With partners like Volleyball Canada
[https://gmtm.com/organizations/247034/volleyball-canada] - the country's
governing body for the sport that assembles Olympic teams, Raiders Tirol - an
American football team based in Innsbruck, Austria, and many more located in and
far outside North America, GMTM has helped shift the accessibility of sports
careers from the well-traveled to the tech-savvy. Each of these teams have
launched Virtual Tryouts and Digital Combines that have seen participation from
more places on the map than was any of them thought was possible. And it has
saved them a lot of money.

Video-focused profiles, list-making, and messaging built into the platform, GMTM
has helped eliminate some of the travel and expenses involved in scouting new
talent. Now, coaching staffs are able to request videos and evaluate athletes
from anywhere on the globe. That makes it easier to decide which athletes you
want to see in person for development camps and in-person training.

Volleyball Canada was one of the first national governing bodies to turn to
virtual evaluations on GMTM.

In their first few events inviting Volleyball athletes from across Canada to
tryout virtually for their national teams, they saw a 300% increase in
participation than in past years when the tryout was in-person. This increase in
participation shows how many more athletes had access to the tryout without
having to worry about travel or schedules. And for the coaches, they were able
to evaluate three-times as many athletes, while observing quarantine protocols
at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic.

And while their national team selection process became more competitive,
Volleyball Canada also help their athletes who are hoping to be recruited by
American colleges. 

> "In addition to being discovered at a National level, athletes who try out for
Volleyball Canada begin by building out their profiles on GMTM," Grant explained
in his Medium article.  "These profiles can then continue to be managed by the
athletes... and provide access and opportunities to college coaches, camps,
courses or brands in the United States, who want to connect with athletes
abroad."
So, not only has GMTM made life easier for coaches trying to assemble their next
Olympic roster, it is also creating a simple, interactive process for athletes
to find the best opportunities for their careers - some of which may be outside
of their home country.

Continuing the success of their men's
[https://gmtm.com/organizations/248346/team-canada-men] and women's
[https://gmtm.com/organizations/248345/team-canada-women] Volleyball events,
national-governing bodies for other sports in Canada have also started hosting
interactive recruiting events. 

Team Canada's Beach Volleyball
[https://gmtm.com/organizations/248347/team-canada-beach] coaches have hosted
online tryouts for their U19 and U21 teams in the past few years. Cricket Canada
[https://gmtm.com/organizations/248651/cricket-canada], the nation's governing
body for the sport of Cricket, have a Prospect Form interested athletes can fill
out to gain information about the tryout process. Softball Canada
[https://gmtm.com/organizations/248388/softball-canada] has also joined the
platform to introduce their coaching staffs to athletes using GMTM. And 
Climbing
Canada [https://gmtm.com/organizations/247678/climbing-canada], which organizes
sport-climbing and rock-climbing events across the nation, has hosted regional
qualifiers on the site
[https://gmtm.com/articles/how-to-participate-climbing-canada-youth-speed-nationals-2022] 
for their national championships.

But it isn't only Olympic teams that are finding new athletes within their own
borders. Professional teams are also using GMTM to discover the new talent they
need without leaving the office.

Raiders Tirol, an American football team playing in the European League, also
turned to the tech industry to revolutionize their talent ID process. The 
Raiders Tirol Virtual Combine
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/231/raiders-tirol-virtual-combine] helped connect
former college football players in the United States with a professional team
thousands of miles away. The Raiders coaches were able to evaluate a ton of
talent without flying overseas to organize tryouts - helping to ease their
budget and save a lot of time and energy. 

With GMTM, coaches are able to focus on the product they want to put on the
field rather than the logistics of recruiting and scouting. For Joey Grant, a
former college football player himself, it was a mutual victory for coaches and
athletes,

> "This is a huge win for coaches who are seeking to upgrade their talent pipeline
and for athletes who are looking for more opportunities to continue their
playing careers."
For some athletes though, the biggest stages and the biggest opportunities are
found within the United States. As GMTM has helped coaches unlock a larger
talent pool, it has also been streamlining the process for athletes trying to
pursue the most traditional paths in their chose sports.

Area Code Baseball, for instance, an exposure camp for top-level baseball
prospects at the high school level, used GMTM to expand their reach during the
Covid-19 pandemic.

As the pandemic shut down Spring Training in the MLB and saw delays and growing
IR lists for clubs at every level, Area Code was able to help athletes outside
the contiguous United States continue pursuing a baseball career. Kristopher
Rivera [https://gmtm.com/film/8174272/hitting/kristopher-rivera] and Luis Otero
[https://gmtm.com/athletes/1330005/luis-otero], two baseball athletes from the
Dominican Republic, uploaded a handful of videos demonstrating their talents as
true five-tool players.

> "International athletes saw the Area Code Baseball opportunity and began
submitting their videos," wrote Grant. "The virtual showcase provided an
unexpected opportunity for athletes outside of the U.S. to get in front of new
coaches and be evaluated for their talent across borders."
Without a platform that offered seamless feedback and interactions with coaches
on the other side of the globe, athletes like these could miss some of the most
important steps in their careers.

Over the next few months, there's no telling what innovative programs will turn
to GMTM to help boost their talent identification process. That being said, as
GMTM's platform continues to evolve, it might be hard for any coach or athlete
to avoid the "social media platform for athletes."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

*Scotty Jenkins [https://gmtm.com/articles/author/scotty-jenkins] is a staff
writer for GMTM covering product news and innovations across sports.

How GMTM is helping organizations recruit athletes on an international scale

Amanda Tylka

The highest-paid baseball player in Major League Baseball is pitcher Max
Scherzer from the New York Mets.Scherzer will be bringing in 130 million
dollars
on a 3-year contract [https://sportsnaut.com/highest-paid-mlb-players/].  That’s
a whopping $43.33 million a year, guaranteed!

In 2021, the Los Angeles Dodgers racked up the highest Major League Baseball
payroll ringing in just below $270 million.  The New York Yankees ranked second
in MLB payroll for 2021 rounding out just above $200 million.

The numbers are incomprehensible to the average joe, but how does the MLB afford
these massive player contracts?  Follow along to consider the biggest factors
that give MLB teams the ability to pay their players hundreds of millions of
dollars.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Player’s Union
The MLBPA represents all major league baseball players for all 40 MLB teams.
 Along with players, the union covers and protects anyone who has a signed
contract with an MLB team including managers, coaches, and even trainers.  Each
member of the MLBPA pays a daily price for protection under the player’s union.

MLBPA is in charge of collective bargaining for each member as well as group
licensing to ensure players are being paid for the use of their names, numbers,
nicknames, signatures, and other personal aspects of Major League Baseball
Players.

The player’s association is meant to increase player’s salaries, protect their
individual rights, and provide support with any issues on contract agreements or
rights to impartial third party independents to settle disputes, also known as
arbitration.

The player’s union also gives MLBPA members the ability to strike until their
demands are meant for a variety of factors within the MLB season.  It gives
players, coaches, and staff the right to fight for their earnings and dedication
to a highly competitive, long, and demanding season that generates billions of
dollars in revenue.

As the 2022 owner’s lockout demonstrates, the union gives rights to members to
protect their revenue.  Recently, MLB players were demanding revenues returned
to them based on owner behaviors
[https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-lockout-three-reasons-why-the-players-union-wants-to-alter-baseballs-revenue-sharing-system/]
, and owners want to prevent this from happening.  It’s all about the benjamins
baby!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Revenue Sharing
If you keep up with MLB news, you are likely privy to the recent dispute on
revenue sharing in the MLB.  Revenue sharing is when all teams combine a
percentage of their yearly local revenues (currently 48-percent) - this includes
television contracts, game-day revenues like ticket sales, concessions, parking,
merchandise, etc. - and compiles them to be shared among MLB teams evenly.

The goal of revenue sharing is to ensure equality among teams.  In turn, this is
a huge contributor to smaller-level MLB teams being capable of paying massive
contracts to their players, regardless of how much revenue their team curates
in
a year [https://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Revenue_sharing].

Revenue sharing is quite controversial depending on who you are talking to, but
it prevents more lucrative franchises from dominating the league by using their
higher revenues to offer higher contracts to the best players and in turn create
a franchise that dominates the league.

The recent collective bargaining agreement between owners and players was taking
place because players felt they were losing money because of revenue sharing.
 As a result of the sharing organizations were not making an effort to offer
competitive salaries to players because revenue sharing results in players
being
worth less than their salaries demonstrate
[https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/mlb-lockout-three-reasons-why-the-players-union-wants-to-alter-baseballs-revenue-sharing-system/]
, even without the issue of no salary caps in MLB.

No Salary Cap
The MLBPA will not agree to a salary cap for Major League Baseball because it
could easily result in more money for owners and less money for players.  The
MLBPA is meant to protect MLB players, coaches, and other affiliates from being
lowballed or cut off from payouts by team owners.

A salary cap would mean a definite amount of money each organization in MLB
would be able to spend per year on its player’s salaries.  The MLB is the only
major professional sport in America that does not use a salary cap.  The NHL,
NFL, and NBA all have salary caps.

Naturally, owners continue to push for a salary cap because this means they
won’t be able to overextend their payouts for players' salaries and in turn,
make more money themselves.

The Business of MLB
As with all professional sports, it’s important to remember that MLB is a
business that wants to make profits.  The best way to make profits is to have
the best team, create the largest fan base, and use that fanbase and team to
have the most games to generate the most revenue.  The longer your team plays,
the more money your team will make.

The MLBPA, revenue sharing, and the lack of salary caps are the greatest factors
that contribute to MLB associations being able to offer massive contracts to
their players.  Each of these factors is also some of the most controversial
topics in MLB and is addressed regularly in both league and player negotiations.

Major League Baseball: What Caused The Major Player Contracts In The MLB?

Full-time track athletes will put in hundreds of hours of workouts each year to
help elevate their craft. Running, recovery, biking, lifting, throwing, jumping,
or sprinting workouts are all part of developing muscle-memory speed and
strength. Their training does not stop for more than a few hours and is
continuous throughout the year.

The most challenging part, though, is that all of the hours are held up by the
same pair of feet.

When other parts of your body ache, you can stay away from them. Maybe change to
a leg workout when your arms are sore. Or maybe focus on cardio when your gleuts
or back are tight. But, when your feet hurt, there is little you can do to
alleviate the pain while training to be your best.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Generally, a lot of track athletes feel sore or tired after each workout or
specific workout. But, there is a difference between general soreness and actual
pain. It can be hard to differentiate the two sometimes, but as a track athlete,
it is important to stop working out or running when your feet are in pain.

What is pain?
Pain can be an indication of the overuse of specific muscles. Pain looks and
feels different for everybody. When a track athlete starts to feel pain, it is
important to attempt to measure the pain. If the pain is between a 1-3 at the
start of the workout, likely it will go away as the warm-up and physical workout
continue.

This pain is probably inconsistent and moves around your body a little bit. Mild
pain is common, and can usually be pushed through. Mild pain can be the effect
of a difficult workout the day before or even simply having a bad night's rest.

However, it is when your pain starts to be more than mild that it might be in
your best interest to stop your workout. Moderate pain, which would be around a
4-6 on the pain scale, appears while the exercise is going on. It may be
tolerable for some, and intolerable for others.

In this case, you need to listen to your body and decide if you feel it's
necessary to stop. It may be smarter to just end your training session if you
are feeling pain in this range. Sometimes this is a sign that the body might
just need some type of resting.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How to determine what level of pain you are in as an athlete?
There is a scale of pain that will help an athlete communicate with coaches,
parents, and trainers. This scale can be different for everyone, but establish
your own scale as your career goes on. This will help you compare how you are
feeling on different days. Below are a few examples of what different levels of
pain can be compared to:

 * Mild pain is common soreness or pain that doesn't take your mind off what you
   are doing. This would be considered a 0-3 on the pain scale, and usually, can
   be overcome. If the pain persists and keeps you from focusing on the
   activity, consult your coach or trainer, and take a few minutes to stretch
   out the area and muscles connected to it.
 * Moderate pain is centralized pain in one area that is keeping you from
   focusing or performing your best. Moderate pain is an indication to be
   cautious. This would be considered a 4-6 on the pain scale, and can be
   overcome but only in the most necessary circumstances. Moderate pain in
   athletes can quickly worse if the area that hurts is continued to be
   stressed. More stress on an area that is needing rest can quickly lead to
   injury.
 * Severe pain, the highest level of pain, would be considered a 7-10 on the
   pain scale. This pain is very severe and can be felt during, before, or after
   the workout. The pain will increase as the workout continues on, which means
   the workout should be stopped immediately. If an athlete would continue on,
   the injury could become worse than it was originally. If you notice an injury
   while working out, the most important thing to do is stop.

When it comes to your feet, pain should never be overlooked because injuries can
take months to truly heal. The tendons, bones, and muscles in your feet are
extremely sensitive. If you can change the surface that you are running on, that
might help to alleviate the pain if it is not as severe. You can also slow down
your run or workout, to help with the pain, and still complete the workout.

However, if you do all of these things and the pain still persists, stop the
workout immediately. Continuing to run and work out through pain, is a recipe
for disaster. This can establish bad habits and patterns for the athlete and
makes them more susceptible to serious injury.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

When one area of your body is experiencing pain, the other “normal” parts will
compensate themselves to help with the painful area. This can cause the other
areas of your body to overwork themselves, and put them at risk for injury as
well. Some athletes struggle with stopping or reducing their workouts because of
an injury. But ultimately, your health is the most important.

There is nothing wrong with taking the necessary time off to rebuild and
recuperate your body.

In track, each event area has a specific body part, or multiple for that matter,
that are being used constantly during workouts and competition. For example:

 * Throwers are using their arms, shoulders, and backs every single time they go
   to throw a shot-put; they also use their legs as a balance when they throw
 * Jumpers use their legs and feet to sprint down the runway and jump into the
   sand
 * Sprinters and hurdlers run every single practice to prepare for meets, which
   are heavy on their legs.

If a thrower were to notice their arm severely hurting during practice, it is in
their best interest to stop throwing and step out. If they can see an athletic
trainer, that would be most helpful.

If a jumper or sprinter were to notice that their hamstring was really acting up
and was in extreme pain during a workout, continuing to run on it would not help
the athlete.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For all event areas, continuing to work out or run through extreme pain will
lead to worse problems, which could keep the athlete out for a long time. No
athlete enjoys being out of competition due to an injury, but it is not in their
best interest to risk their career if they are hurting.

Do not run or compete through extreme pain. Get it checked out, and take your
necessary rest and rehabilitation time seriously.

Why Track & Field Athletes and Runners Should Never Ignore Foot Pain

At GMTM, our mission centers completely around serving athletes and connecting
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How To Navigate Privacy Settings on GMTM

NCAA Division-II sports are at the intermediate level of competition in the
National Collegiate Athletic Association. It is the middle ground essentially
between Division-I [gmtm.com/articles/tag/division-i/] and Division-III
[gmtm.com/articles/tag/division-iii] athletics.

NCAA Division-II [gmtm.com/articles/tag/division-ii]offers an alternative to the
highest-level (and usually more expensive) D1 sports programs, and to the
non-scholarship division offered in D3.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How many Division-II schools are there in the NCAA?
To date, there are around 300 schools that are considered NCAA Division-II
programs. These schools tend to be smaller, public schools. Sometimes, they will
be private institutions, but most D2 schools are public universities that are
related to the larger state schools that you see in major Division-I sports.
Think California-Santa Cruz or UC-Davis compared to Cal-Berkeley or UCLA.

If you're interested in how many teams other NCAA divisions have, check out this
article: Why does Division-I Basketball have the most teams of any sport?
[https://gmtm.com/articles/college-basketball-why-does-division-i-have-the-most-scholarships]


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do Division-II schools offer as many sports as Division-I schools?
Division 2 programs have requirements for the number of sports offered to each
gender at their school. For instance, they must sponsor at least five sports for
both men and women.

For some sports, like basketball [gmtm.com/articles/tag/college-basketball] or 
tennis [gmtm.com/articles/tag/college-tennis/], there is a team for each gender,
usually playing in separate seasons. Other sports, like volleyball
[gmtm.com/articles/tag/college-volleyball/], baseball
[gmtm.com/articles/tag/college-baseball/], softball
[gmtm.com/articles/tag/college-softball/], or field hockey
[gmtm.com/articles/tag/field-hockey/], are only offered to one gender. In that
case, an equivalent sport is usually offered to the opposite gender to offer the
same number of athletic scholarship opportunities.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do Division-II sports make money?
In D2 sports, there are no attendance requirements at games such as football or
basketball. They do not depend on the number of people attending the games to
make money. Since every sports program in Division-II is operated at a fraction
of the cost of Division-I sports, D2 schools do not have to generate as much
revenue.

D2 sports also offer less scholarships than Division-I, making the annual
operating costs for each sport a lot lower. Many student-athletes will pay for
school through partial athletic scholarships, academic scholarships, financial
aid, and student loans that they acquire. Most state schools are lower in cost
than the larger Division-I schools, making it more affordable for
student-athletes who may not be able to receive a full-ride in D2.

Interested in how Division-II and Division-III athletes make due with less
scholarship money? Check this article out: Is playing at a Division III college
affordable without athletic scholarships?
[https://gmtm.com/articles/is-playing-sports-at-a-division-iii-college-affordable-without-athletic-scholarships]


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How much to Division-II teams travel?
D2 athletes still have to travel once or even multiple times per week. But the
number of miles put on the team bus is a lot less than Division-I teams, who
often fly across the country for a single game or two-day tournament. That is
because the competition in Division-II sports on a much more regional level. 

Without big TV rights and grant money that D1 schools have to fight over,
Division-II teams are able to stay in the same local conferences as they've
always been in. Most of a team's schedule will be against rival opponents in the
same state or region, which is always fun for fans to see.

You can read more about Division-II conferences in this article: Ranking the
Five Best Division-II Football Conferences
[https://gmtm.com/articles/ranking-the-five-best-division-ii-football-conferences]


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do Division-II schools offer athletic scholarships?
In terms of money, each sport at a Division-II school has a specific fund limit
that they are not legally allowed to exceed. The big difference between
Division-I and Division-II sports is the amount of money that each program has,
and is allowed to offer to recruits or current players.

Athletic scholarships [gmtm.com/articles/athletic-scholarships] are permitted in
D2 sports. However, they are more stingy limits on the number and amount of
scholarships these divisions can hand out to their athletes.

In football, Division-I teams are allowed to hand out 36 full scholarships,
whereas some Division-I football programs can hand out as many as 85 full
scholarships to their athletes. The NCAA restricts the number of scholarships
each sports program can deliver to its athletes.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Are there full athletic scholarships available to D2 athletes?
All division 2 sports are known as “equivalency” sports, which means that the
NCAA restricts the total amount of financial aid that is available for each
sport to the equivalent of full scholarships. This is known as the
partial-scholarship model. This model allows division 2 schools to recognize
student-athletes for their skills through athletic aid while keeping budgets
more on track. Typically, division 2 schools will choose to split up and offer
partial scholarships to athletes, so that more people can receive athletic aid.
This does not mean that a division 2 school will never hand out a full-athletic
scholarship, but most of the time they will prefer to split them up. The
operating costs in division 2 tend to be smaller than programs of smaller sizes,
and it does not cost them as much to sponsor competitive athletic programs. This
means that teams have the right to divide and split the money up into partial
offers for more people to receive. Additionally, division 2 sports are limited
to a total of 60 scholarship equivalents for men’s sports, not including
football and basketball.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do Division-II athletes get a lot of free clothes and equipment?
The equipment and amount of gear that an athlete will receive vary at each
school. D1 schools, with more money to spend and less budget restrictions, will
typically give out more gear, equipment, recovery tools, and other random items
to their athletes. However, this does not mean that D2 schools do not do the
same thing. Most players at the division-II level, will also receive free gear
and equipment throughout their four or five years of college.

For instance, if you are playing lacrosse
[gmtm.com/articles/tag/college-lacrosse/] at a division 2 school, you may get
new helmets, backpacks, sticks, or cleats from your program. If you run track
[gmtm.com/articles/tag/track-and-field/] or cross country
[gmtm.com/articles/tag/cross-country] at a division 2 school, you may get new
running shoes, a warm-up suit and a training top for when meet day arrives. All
of this is typically dependent on the number of members of the team, and the
amount of money available to spend on gear and equipment.

For the most part, you will be taken care of as a division 2 student-athlete,
and shouldn’t have to worry about spending a lot of money on buying your gear.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Athletes looking to compete at a collegiate level, but don’t want the stress or
financial burden of being a walk-on [gmtm.com/articles/tag/walk-on] at a NCAA D1
school, may benefit from looking into a division 2 school. They offer a balance
between high-level competition and academics. Also, they do offer a decent
amount of money out to their athletes, which can be helpful for recruits.

Division-II Sports: How do D2 athletics compare to NCAA Division-I?

Throughout the history of America’s Pastime, there have been several notable
multisport baseball athletes. Despite competing in multiple sports, some of
these athletes have even ended up in the Hall of Fame for their primary sport.
This list of multisport athletes includes: Deion Sanders, Tony Gwynn, and Bo
Jackson. There are many advantages of training multiple sports but that is a
topic for another day.

Deion Sanders who is in the Hall of Fame for the NFL also had a tremendous
amount of success in the MLB. Also known as “Primetime” Deion stole 186 bases in
his MLB career while intercepting 53 passes in his NFL Career. He truly was a
thief in both sports. Besides these impressive statistics he is the ONLY
individual to play in the World Series and Super Bowl. His career spanned 14
seasons in the NFL, and 9 of those seasons overlapped with each other. All of
this is made even more impressive when you factor in his own quote about both
sports; “I’m married to football, baseball is my girlfriend.” Despite putting
the majority of his focus into football, he was able to not only play in the MLB
but have a dynamic impact in the game for 9 seasons. Currently, he is changing
CFB with his coaching at Jackson State University.

Tony Gwynn who is by far one of the most underrated baseball players in recent
history had quite a career for himself as a San Diego Padre. Also known as “Mr.
Padre”, Tony excelled in basketball as well. Tony was drafted in the tenth round
by the L.A. Clippers, the same year he was drafted by the Padres. Tony excelled
at both sports while at San Diego State University. Mr. Padre made the right
choice by pursuing baseball. In his professional career he had over 3,000 hits,
in his 20 year career with San Diego. These 3,000 plus hits are one of the many
reasons that he ended his brilliant MLB career in Cooperstown in the Hall of
Fame. Following his playing days he coached baseball at his alma mater, San
Diego State University. Sadly, Mr. Gwynn passed away in 2014.

Considered one of the greatest pure athletes of all-time is Bo Jackson. Bo
Jackson holds maany distinctions in his illustrious athletic career. Being the
only individual to be named a MLB All-Star and an NFL Pro-Bowler is one of those
distinctions. To make it to the top of your profession in two different
professional sports shows you the true ability and athleticism that he had in
his prime. In the 1989 MLB All-Star Game, Bo was named the Most Valuable Player
of that to add to his legacy. Unfortunately, a hip injury derailed his promising
professional career. Despite this injury Mr. Jackson has been seen in numerous
television shows as well as referenced in pop culture multiple times. Truly “Bo
Knows” entertainment.

These are just a few of the more famous multisport athletes to make it to the
top level of baseball. Jeff Samardizja is a recent MLB Player who was named an
All-Star, while choosing the MLB over the NFL. On the other side of that Russell
Wilson excelled in both football and baseball but chose to pursue the NFL, which
has worked out for the Super Bowl Champion and multiple time All Star. There are
many other examples of multisport athletes who chose one route over the other.
The benefits of pursuing multiple sports can truly not be understated.

Baseball Recruiting: Big Leaguers Who Played Multiple Sports In College

Many soccer athletes across the United States aspire to play their sport at the
college level, and it is a dream that often starts young. Some of these athletes
daydream about playing in front of a huge crowd at a big Division 1 school,
receiving the best equipment, coaching, and of course food along the way.

But in reality, these dreams don’t always work out, and some of these athletes
find themselves to be a better fit for the other NCAA divisions - D2
[/p/e1277139-2aa3-4eda-b275-b9429c411f8f/gmtm.com/articles/tag/division-ii] or 
D3 [/p/e1277139-2aa3-4eda-b275-b9429c411f8f/gmtm.com/articles/tag/division-iii] 
- and some even end up competing for an NAIA school
[/p/e1277139-2aa3-4eda-b275-b9429c411f8f/gmtm.com/articles/tag/naia]. While
being less talked about, NAIA schools offer the same opportunity to play soccer
at a high level, but in a few slightly different ways.

How does the recruitment process differ between NCAA and NAIA schools?
It should come as no surprise that Division 1 schools have the most rules and
regulations when it comes to recruitment. With so much money, attention, and
competition over the best athletes, the NCAA has to regulate every conversation
and incentive that coaches put in front of recruits. NAIA schools, on the other
hand, are a little more relaxed and free-flowing with their “regulations”. These
regulations include differences in the certain periods that coaches can contact
prospective athletes.

 * Communicating with NCAA D-I Coaches

When an athlete is interested in playing or pursuing a collegiate career at a D1
school, they are not allowed to have communication with a coach until after June
15th of their sophomore year of high school. This means that the D1 college
coach is not allowed to communicate via email, text, phone call, or conversation
until after that date. After this date has occurred, coaches are permitted to
extend verbal offers, communicate via the phone, and begin arranging visits to
campus. However, an athlete is only able to make an official visit to the
specific campus after August 1st of their junior year.

 * Communicating with NAIA Coaches

In the NAIA, athletes and coaches are permitted to contact one another at their
own convenience with no rules to certain dates and time periods. Most of the
time, NAIA recruiting starts a little bit after all of the D1 dates because
these schools will try to pick up any athlete that has not gotten attention from
Division-I programs, or missed the cut for those teams.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Another big difference between the two divisions is the contact time periods. In 
Division 1 soccer [https://gmtm.com/articles/tag/college-soccer], there are
several dates that coaches are unable to contact recruits and parents; these
periods are considered dead zones. This is when the team is attending National
Championships [https://gmtm.com/articles/tag/ncaa-championships] or the week of
National Signing Day [https://gmtm.com/articles/tag/national-signing-day]. In
the NAIA, there are no dead periods and coaches can contact freely whenever they
want.

To learn more about how coaches interact with athletes and parents, check out
these helpful articles [https://gmtm.com/articles/category/recruiting]!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How do scholarships and financial aid opportunities differ between NCAA and NAIA
schools?
The cost of college, and the number of scholarships given out, vary among NCAA
Division-I and NAIA as well. Athletic scholarships for DI soccer are some of the
most difficult to obtain because these schools are looking for the best talent
around the globe - and they usually offer a lot of financial aid for those top
athletes.

 * How many athletic scholarships are given by NCAA soccer teams?

Any Division-I program can only hand out 9 scholarships annually to their soccer
team, but they can choose how to split up that amount. This means it could be a
mix of full-ride or partial scholarships, where they split one scholarship
between one, two, or three different athletes. If one player is a talented
student who also earned a partial academic scholarship, a coach is likely to
give them less in order to help a teammate who needs more financial aid.

 * How many athletic scholarships are given by NAIA soccer teams?

In the NAIA, soccer coaches can offer a maximum of 12 scholarships annually to
student-athletes on their teams. Again, it is up to the coach how they would
want to split up the scholarships. Since NAIA coaches can contact athletes
throughout their entire high school career,  it can be a little easier to be
offered an NAIA soccer scholarship.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, are NCAA soccer players that much better than soccer players at NAIA
schools?
One of the largest misconceptions about Division-1 soccer programs is that they
have highest level of competition compared to other divisions. While this might
be true for some programs, this is not the case for all Division-1 programs
across the United States. Being a school in a large conference or in the
Division-I ranks certainly does not make it among the best soccer teams in their
own state or region. Think of all the top professional leagues who relegate the
worst teams each year to a lower league. If that happening among the top NCAA
conferences, we may see more small schools competing with Big East and ACC
powerhouses. Just like Santa Clara has been able to do
[https://gmtm.com/articles/santa-clara-womens-soccer-begins-partnership-with-chilisleep] 
in NCAA women's soccer.

NAIA schools do not have the same name recognition, large endowments, or huge
fanbases as large Division-I schools, but they certainly offer a similar level
of competition. They are a great alternative for athletes that didn't secure an
NCAA scholarship, and they can go improve their skills against top national
competition while receiving a quality education. Some of the best sports teams
have originate out of NAIA schools and with new transfer policies
[/p/e1277139-2aa3-4eda-b275-b9429c411f8f/gmtm.com/articles/tag/transfer-portal] 
in the NCAA, NAIA programs are a great way to develop your game while looking
for an opportunity to earn a scholarship at a Division-I school.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Athletes that don’t get offered a spot to play D1 soccer, might choose to go
down the route of playing at D2, D3, or NAIA school. Some of these athletes will
love the program and stay there for all four years of their college career.
Others might build up their statistics, play for a season or two, and transfer
to a bigger school; but this is not the case for all the “best” athletes out
there. It really just depends on their attitude toward their current school, and
how pleased they are with everything.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are always a lot of discussions about which division to explore and commit
to when starting the soccer recruitment journey. Ultimately, it is the athlete's
choice of where they want to go to play and receive their degree. If they have
that dream to play D1 soccer then I am always one to support that athlete's
dream.

However, as a Division-III soccer player myself, I am just as supportive of
playing in the “lower” divisions. They all offer the same opportunity to
athletes, which is to play competitive soccer with a group of talented and
motivated peers.

Do not be disappointed if those D1 coaches don’t come knocking at your door
because I can guarantee you that there are several other options for you to
commit yourself to and find success.

College Soccer: What is the difference between NCAA Division-I & NAIA?

[Orlando] This week, USA Team Handball is launching their official Collegiate
Handball Campaign on GMTM, inviting college athletes from around the country to
connect directly with Team USA, fellow handball athletes, and local clubs around
the country.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Handball is one of the most popular sports on continents outside of North
America. In fact, in some places, it even competes with soccer with a similar
level of national pride for athletes and fans. The popularity of the indoor
sport reaches a huge number of athletes at a young age and gives European and
Middle Eastern national teams a wide group to recruit from.

> Ever have to explain handball to your friends & family? 

Same, we got you. Send this to them next time ➡️➡️ https://t.co/SJsnolOaT1
#AmericasNextGreatSport
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/AmericasNextGreatSport?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] 
 #USATeamHandball
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/USATeamHandball?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] 
#WhatIsHandball
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhatIsHandball?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]

— USATH (@USATH) July 24, 2020
[https://twitter.com/USATH/status/1286738238900772864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
In America though, handball has to compete with many other popular sports.
Outside of a PE class, most athletes don’t have the chance to play it at an
organized level. Many colleges feature handball as an intramural sport and in a
few cities, you can find some amateur club teams. But, as handball‘s popularity
grows elsewhere, its growth in America is just beginning.

That lack of accessibility is one of the reasons USA Team Handball has teamed
up
with GMTM [https://gmtm.com/organizations/247322/usa-team-handball] to better
connect with handballers and identify new handballers from other sports.
Inviting college-aged men and women who compete in any sport, the USA Team
Handball College Campaign
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/618/usa-team-handball-collegiate-handball] will help
more national team caliber athletes be introduced to the sport.

If you look at the USA Team Handball roster online
[https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Team-Handball/Team-USA] for the men’s and women’s
national teams, you’ll see a majority of those athletes found handball after
playing different sports at a collegiate level. The wingspan and height of
basketball players or the strength and explosiveness of track athletes are just
a few of the attributes that translate so well to handball. 

> Handball is an up-and-coming sport in the US, sharing many tactics with
Basketball, Soccer, and Lacrosse.@USATH
[https://twitter.com/USATH?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] are launching a tryout to
identify talented athletes ready to overcome new challenges and ear a spot on
the USA National Team. Learn more 🔽🔽

— GMTM // GAME TIME (@GMTMSports) May 4, 2021
[https://twitter.com/GMTMSports/status/1389685375971598338?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
USA Team Handball [https://gmtm.com/organizations/247322/usa-team-handball] 
staff is focused on helping more college athletes in other sports find an
opportunity to learn more about the sport of handball, and as an avenue to
extend their careers into a new Olympic sport.

Motivated men and women - ages 18 to 25 - can upload information about
themselves and their athletic careers. The content they submit will be seen and
evaluated by the USA Team Handball coaches over the next few months.

Through an Introduction activity and several sport-specific handball activities
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/618/usa-team-handball-collegiate-handball], athletes
will be able to show their personality and drive, as well as the athleticism
that makes them unique from other athletes in their sports. Whether it’s a burst
of speed, hand-eye coordination, or superior strength, athletes from all sorts
of backgrounds can demonstrate the skills that would make them one of the
premier athletes in handball.

After uploading videos, participating athletes will become part of USA Team
Handball’s network. Participating athletes could be chosen for further
development, camps, and even an opportunity to represent the US in international
competitions.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

If you or an athlete you know is interested in being seen by Olympic coaches,
head to the USA Team Handball College Handball page on GMTM
[https://gmtm.com/virtuals/618/usa-team-handball-collegiate-handball] to
participate.

USA Team Handball Launches New Collegiate Athlete Network on GMTM

Picking the right college can be a tough task for any high school senior, but it
can be a unique and even more complex process for young student-athletes. As we
approach the new school year, thousands of high school seniors will begin
applying for college and making decisions regarding their future. Here are some 
helpful tips for parents [https://gmtm.com/articles/category/parent-advice] and
things hopeful student athletes should consider before committing to a college
or university.

Focus On Your Academic Interests When Looking At Colleges
First things first, good academics lead to more opportunities. It is so
important to take advantage of the academic scholarships
[https://gmtm.com/articles/athletic-scholarships-how-to-get-more-money-to-play-college-sports] 
that you could be eligible for - and you could be a sought after commit to some
schools that match your learning interests.

As a student-athlete it is easy to get caught up in the hype surrounding the
school’s athletic programs, but remember you are still a “student” as much as an
“athlete”. Just like the old NCAA [gmtm.com/articles/tag/ncaa] commercials say, 
only 2 percent of all NCAA student-athletes go on to compete on the
professional
level [https://www.nfhs.org/media/886012/recruiting-fact-sheet-web.pdf], so
having a strong interest in your education is important. Ensure that the college
you choose has the major you want to focus on, or at least offer similar
opportunities that will lead to success off the field.

For more info on scholarships, check out these helpful articles
[https://gmtm.com/articles/tag/scholarships]!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ask Coaches, Scouts About Where You Rank In Your Sport
Before you can make a decision about which college to choose, you must also
figure out where you stand athletically, and at what level you want to play your
sport. You don’t always have to play a sport at a Division-I school
[gmtm.com/articles/tag/division-i] or be a full-time student athlete. Many
schools offer high-level club sports and tons of intramural sports. This
provides students an opportunity to stay in shape and meet new people, while
also allowing one to be a part of a competitive environment.

A major benefit of intramural sports
[https://gmtm.com/articles/tag/intramural-sports] is the small time commitment,
allowing you to focus on school or maintain an off-campus job throughout your
college years, while also contributing to a team.

If you want something more competitive and serious, you may want to consider
club sports. Club sports [gmtm.com/articles/tag/club-sports] are not sanctioned
by the NCAA, have no scholarships attached, and have less time commitments but
are good if your school does not have inter-collegiate offerings for the sport.
Sports like rugby [gmtm.com/articles/tag/rugby], lacrosse
[gmtm.com/articles/tag/lacrosse], ice hockey [gmtm.com/articles/tag/ice-hockey],
and ultimate frisbee [gmtm.com/articles/tag/ultimate-frisbee] may fall into this
category.

If you are a motivated athlete who might not be ready for the collegiate level, 
check out these helpful articles [https://gmtm.com/articles/tag/talent-transfer] 
on finding new sports!


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Explore Every Division Of College Sports To Find Your Place
Intercollegiate sports is what we often think of when talking about college
athletics. Students participating in intercollegiate athletics should expect
significant practice commitments and the highest level of competition. However,
not all inter-collegiate sports are the same and the NCAA has divided them into
three separate categories that describe the financial responsibilities and level
of competition offered. The following are the different NCAA distinctions:

 * Division-I: D1 sports tend to be the larger schools with the most competitive
   athletes and are the ones we often think about when it comes to collegiate
   athletics, such as Alabama, Duke, Penn State, etc. These schools offer their
   student-athletes athletic scholarships which cover tuition, board, etc.
 * Divison-II [https://gmtm.com/articles/tag/division-ii]: Students at D2
   colleges can still receive athletic scholarships, however they are often
   limited or smaller in dollar amount. DII schools are usually smaller
   institutions and include California State Schools and the reigning DII
   football champions Ferris State [Division-II: Ferris State Wins 2021 College
   Football National Championship].
 * Division III:
   [https://gmtm.com/articles/five-reasons-to-consider-playing-division-iii-college-sports] 
   D3 schools are athletically competitive, however do not offer athletic
   scholarships
   [https://gmtm.com/articles/is-playing-sports-at-a-division-iii-college-affordable-without-athletic-scholarships]
   . This being said, many students do receive a merit-based scholarship to
   attend or need-based aid. This article
   [https://gmtm.com/articles/best-division-iii-football-conferences-2020] is a
   great introduction to learning about some of the most competitive D-III
   athletic programs, who dominate more than just football.

There are also NAIA schools [gmtm.com/articles/tag/naia] and junior colleges
[https://gmtm.com/articles/tag/junior-college], both of which compete outside of
the NCAA and can help a student-athlete develop athletically and academically in
an effort to find a place in Division-I sports. These both prove to be a great
option and a plethora of professional sports stars chose this route
[https://gmtm.com/articles/what-is-a-junior-college-and-is-it-right-for-me].

Understanding which of those three divisions is the right fit for you boils down
to you priorities as an athlete. The first step would be understanding your
level of athletic talent
[https://gmtm.com/articles/doubts-about-being-good-enough-for-a-collegiate-sport]
, and a more highly competitive athlete who knows they have the skills to be
recruited at a DI level may want to focus on getting an athletic scholarship at
such an institution.

Division-I through Division-III schools have all produced professional athletes,
so it is your job to make the best of the resources provided to you at whatever
institution you choose.

Another factor that may affect your choice is your commitment to playing the
game long-term. If playing professionally is not something you plan to do, or if
you want to prioritize academics over athletics, a DIII or DII school may be
less of a time commitment.
[https://gmtm.com/articles/10-things-division-iii-sports-offer-student-athletes] 
If playing on a big stage and getting noticed by scouts is important to you,
consider choosing a DI school.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Pick A School That Is Just The Right Size And Can Support You
Different divisions of college athletics, as well as the size of the school also
impacts the amount of money colleges have to invest in the school’s athletic
facilities, support staff, and you as an athlete.

You should request a tour of the campus weight room, indoor practice facilities,
physical therapy, locker rooms, and any other relevant areas to your training
and competing. It may be a red flag if training areas look worn down. Remember,
the health of your facility could impact your growth as an athlete and can help
prevent injury while training.

Athletic support staff is also important in your growth as an athlete, student,
and person. From athletic trainers, to emergency care, to the strength coaches
and tutors, it is important to ensure that you have a group of people that have
your back as you start this chapter of you journey.

College Sports: How To Pick The Right School To Attend

For soccer players who want to play professionally, the path differs greatly
from other major sports in the United States. Most global soccer players develop
through academies sponsored by billion-dollar clubs and sign pricy professional
contracts at young ages. In the United States, athletes who want to play
professional football, basketball, or hockey have to enter their respective
professional leagues through entry drafts - often after completing at least a
year of college competition.

Major League Soccer
[/p/a80163e7-2bfd-47e4-ab43-9c09f67cb691/gmtm.com/articles/tag/mls/] exists in a
unique intersection of the two cultures. The MLS has the Superdraft, an annual
three-round draft consisting of college players and  international talent,
creating a process for signing players to their rosters like the large clubs in
the rest of the world. The Superdraft ensures that there is a pathway for
college players to have a chance to play professionally. During the 2020 MLS
season, there were 271 players who spent at least one year playing college
soccer in the league.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What is the MLS Superdraft?
The MLS Superdraft is an annual draft that allows each MLS team to sign the best
collegiate players who have recently graduated or opted to turn professional. It
typically takes place in January and the draft order is based  on the previous
season's regular-season points totals.  Each club has a selection in each of the
three rounds of the draft.

The MLS Superdraft was first introduced in 2000 and replaced the former two
different drafts that the league used to use: The MLS College Draft, in which
players who had completed their undergraduate degrees were picked, and the MLS
Supplemental Draft, in which all other players were selected.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Is there only one professional soccer league in the United States?
While MLS represents the top domestic professional league, there are other
professional leagues in the US as well. United Soccer League has the
Championship and League One as fully professional league, while League Two is a
semi-professional league. MLS announced MSL Next Pro as a development league for
2022 that also features professional players as well. That means there are more
opportunities to play soccer professionally in the United States than just in
MLS.

Recently, some Superdraft players have made waves. Daryl Dike was drafted fifth
overall in the 2020 Superdraft by Orlando City out of the Univesity of Virginia.
Since then, he has been called up by the United States Men's National Team,
spent part of a season in the English Championship with Barnsley, and secured a
permanent transfer to West Bromwich Albion in the English Championship.

Atlanta United burst on the scene as an expansion side that immediately became a
contender and indeed lifted the MLS Cup in 2018. A key part of that championship
side was 2017 Superdraft pick Miles Robinson out of Syracuse University. He has
established himself as a top defender in MLS while also securing a spot on the
USMNT depth chart during their 2021 Gold Cup campaign, scoring the game-winning
goal against Mexico. He has also earned multiple starts during the World Cup
qualification campaign.

Robinson was not the only member of the 2017 Superdraft for Atlanta United as
they selected Julian Gressel in the second round. During the 2018 MLS season, he
chipped in four goals and 14 assists during their run to the championship. He
played college soccer for Providence University before being drafted.

In 2022, the new expansion side Charlotte FC selected midfielder Ben Bender of
the University of Maryland. He featured prominently in Charlotte's first
victory, a 3-1 defeat of the New England Revolution, adding a goal and the
assist on the game-winning goal. He also provided the assist on the franchise's
first goal against Atlanta United.

While the stars in MLS may have taken other paths to join the league, college
soccer is still a viable pathway for players to play professionally. It may not
be as straightforward a path as in other major sports in the US, but college
soccer is still an important aspect of the sport in the states.

College Soccer: Explaining how the best collegiate players turn professional

Lacrosse is frequently referred to as “the fastest sport on two feet” and its
growth over the last two decades suggests it is the may not lose that reputation
anytime soon.

For some quick context, during the 2009/10 high school year, there were 90,670
boys and 68,768 girls playing high school lacrosse in the United States. During
the 2018/19 high school season, there were 113,702 boys and 99,750 girls
playing. Thats a 25% increase in participation for the boys' high school sport
and almost double the amount of girls playing lacrosse in high school.

The rise of lacrosse as a rapidly-growing sport across the country is due to
multiple factors. Let's examine a few of those reasons below:

More Kids Are Seeing Lacrosse Than Ever Before
One factor is the increase in access to watching great lacrosse players. A
search of Youtube finds lacrosse highlights making their way to SportsCenter as
early as an April 10th, 2007 episode that featured a Cornell vs. Syracuse
highlights package as the top play in a Top 10 countdown.

Since then, people have seen goals, saves, and even fights popping up on
Twitter, Instagram, and now TikTok and GMTM. Sports fans across the country were
introduced to a sport they did not know much about, but they could see
jaw-dropping highlights like players running at full speed and scoring
behind-the-back goals that they likely had never seen before.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Growth Of Professional Leagues Across North America
Fans also had the chance to watch professionals playing lacrosse starting in the
early 2000s. Major League Lacrosse was founded in 1999 and played its inaugural
season in 2001.

The MLL was the first professional field lacrosse league in the United States
and gave collegiate lacrosse players an opportunity to continue playing with
regularity after graduation. Greater opportunity for playing beyond college can
lead to more youth playing a sport and taking that sport more seriously if they
have the talent. It also meant that adults and kids alike could see people
playing field lacrosse after college for the first time ever. Then in 2003, the
MLL signed a contract with ESPN to have weekly games shown on ESPN2 and
additional games could be streamed on ESPN3.

The presence of professional lacrosse starting in the early 2000s with the MLL
and professional indoor (or "box") lacrosse with the National Lacrosse League
meant more options to watch. Now, the Premier Lacrosse League, the top field
lacrosse league in the US, and the NLL have contracts with ESPN for games to be
shown.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

An Increase In College Scholarships And Opportunities
Colleges have seen this and have worked to capitalize on the growth starting in
the early 2000s. Between 2003 and 2018, colleges added lacrosse teams at an
incredible rate
[https://gmtm.com/articles/lacrosse-is-the-fastest-growing-college-sport-in-the-ncaa]
. That increase allowed for greater participation. In 2006, 16,444 men were
playing college lacrosse and 10,207 women were doing the same.

In 2018, there were 25,588 men and 17,640 women playing in college.While
lacrosse teams may not balance the spreadsheets in a typical sense like a
college football team, the demographic of student-athletes who play lacrosse can
benefit a college. That was done with the motivation of keeping student-athletes
who may not come on scholarship and instead pay full tuition in-state.

There are certainly players who would still take the chance to play for a
traditional powerhouse such as John Hopkins, Maryland, or Syracuse, but smaller
colleges could see the financial benefit by keeping players who may not star for
a Top 25 school.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Regardless of why lacrosse has seen incredible growth in the last 20 years, it
appears that lacrosse is here to stay and with greater opportunities to play at
all levels as well.

How Lacrosse Has Continued To Grow In Popularity Across America

The name, image, and likeness of college athletes has been a topic of discussion
for several years, and with the Supreme Court’s ruling in the Alston Case in
2019, it was ruled that the NCAA cannot “restrict education-related compensation
benefits for student-athletes”.

This ruling has opened a whole new world for collegiate athletes
[/name-image-likeness-college-basketball-duke-kentucky-recruiting/gmtm.com/articles/tag/nil/]
, and many have questioned how the landscape of college recruiting will change
with NIL deals. However, as time passes, it becomes clear that the same schools
continue to get the best prospects, and highly ranked schools pre-NIL continue
to dominate in rankings.

With the nation’s number-two high school basketball prospect, Justin Edwards,
committing to Kentucky on Monday, Duke
[/name-image-likeness-college-basketball-duke-kentucky-recruiting/gmtm.com/articles/tag/duke-blue-devils] 
and Kentucky
[/name-image-likeness-college-basketball-duke-kentucky-recruiting/gmtm.com/articles/tag/kentucky-wildcats/] 
have the highest ranked recruiting class of 2023—the expectation before and
after the NIL rules were passed. While recruiting is still in process, Duke has
already had four commitments from five-star prospects, while Kentucky has three,
and no other school has more than one five-star commit.

The continued popularity and recruiting success of Duke and Kentucky post-NIL
may lead some to believe that committed players have an advantage in receiving
deals if they attend these schools. This, however, is untrue, and some of the
biggest NIL deals in men’s college basketball thus far come from Drew Timme
(Gonzaga), Anthony Hamilton, Jr. (Chicago State), and Hercy Miller (Tennessee
State). Anthony Hamilton, Jr. had several hundreds of thousands of followers on
social media platforms such as Tik Tok and Instagram, while Miller is the son of
rapper Master P.

These deals go to prove that larger NIL deals may depend more upon the following
and platform these athletes had before entering college, rather than the actual
college they are committed to or choose to attend. Considering many high-ranked
collegiate hoopers choose to attend college for one year and then make the move
to play professionally, it is likely that they choose a powerhouse school like
Duke or Kentucky which have a legacy of producing NBA players and can help them
get to a bigger stage. Bigger NIL deals may not be a primary focus when the
promise of a hefty NBA contract or larger brand deal seems to be only a few
years away.

The University of Kentucky initiatives to support athletes in their NIL deals
and handle possible opportunities for their student-athletes. In December 2021,
The University of Kentucky announced a partnership deal with The Virtus Brand,
an independent player management company that could help manage NIL funds of all
twenty-nine of the university’s sports programs. The partnership hopes to bring
guidance to student-athletes, while also establishing the “15 fund” which would
distribute NIL funds received by the university. [1] University of Kentucky’s
policy also outlines that students may receive money for in-person appearances,
social media posts, and media appearances. However, students may not endorse
products or services related to nicotine, gambling, adult entertainment,
athleisure, or services providing higher education. In addition, students may
not skip school or team events to participate in promotional events or
endorsement-related activities. Students may have agents for matters dealing
with NIL only. [3]

Duke has less information regarding supporting student-athletes with NIL
opportunities, however, they have clearly outlined what they can and cannot
participate in. They allow students to post sponsored content on social media
platforms, make appearances in commercials for products or services, appear in
tv advertisements and obtain professional representation (lawyer, agent,
advisor) to aid in the payments and use of NIL. However, Duke student-athletes
cannot have an agreement without quid pro quo, cannot be compensated based on
athletic performance, be offered compensation contingent upon attending Duke,
endorse services/products related to gambling, or engage in NIL activities
during team-related activities. Duke also requires that student-athletes receive
school approval before using school trademarks or images associated with the
university.

A little over a year after the Alston case, and the resulting adoption of NIL
rules by the NCAA it has become clear that change was not as drastic as many
expected. While these changes have brought large deals to select athletes, it
has not changed the way incoming college basketball players choose which team
they play for. Duke and Kentucky continue their reign over recruiting and even
with the retirement of Coach K and the ever-changing NCAA, it seems that these
schools have built a recruiting powerhouse with too big a sway.

Name, Image, & Likeness: Duke, Kentucky remain popular destinations for college basketball recruits

Jamison White

Long-distance running is very different from sprint. It is interesting to see
how athletes transition from one to the other but these have happened on only
very rare occasions.

There are very different training regimens athletes in these two categories of
racing have to undergo consistently to be good enough to either carry out a
short-distance race or a long-distance one.

Sprint vs Long Distance Running

A major point that any young athlete seeking a bright future in racing (long or
short) needs to know is that sprinting requires an innate ability to be able to
do the sport in the first place. Sprinters are not just made. It is very
difficult to find someone who was not quick in the first place to become a
world-class sprint.

Practice is good but you need to be a very fast individual to consider sprinting
at all. Noah Lyles, Divine Oduduru, Akani Simbine, Alyson Felix, and Elaine
Thompson-Herah are some of the best sprinters in the world today. They practiced
on their already existent innate abilities to run very fast and that is why they
are world-beaters.

Long-distance runners are deliberate in developing stamina, muscular endurance,
and cardiorespiratory fitness. Sprinters on the other hand are more concerned
about developing their phosphagen system and growing fast-twitch muscle fibers.
They do this by improving strength, power, and speed.

While long-distance runners are trained to sustain endurance, sprinters focus
more on speed and strength.

How Possible is it to Turn Into a Long Distance Runner From Sprint?

If an athlete does not intend to go back to long-distance after switching to the
short distance, he or she can go ahead. If it is the case of combining, that
could prove very difficult because the former long-distance runner goes through
when he switches will have a negative effect on the ability of the athlete to do
long distance.

It is essential to know a lot about and also adjust as quickly as possible to
the training when turning into a sprinter.




The Body Mass is Important to Do Well In Either Category

It may be difficult but possible for a long-distance runner to turn to sprint,
at least biologically speaking. The body mass could be a crucial factor to look
into whenever considering switching.




What Are the Characteristics of the Two Runners?

Generally, one of the characteristics of long-distance runners is that they are
particularly skinny because of the number of calories they burn. The short
distance runners are muscular because more muscles are needed to compete
properly in sprints.

You will not find long-distance runners like Eliud Kipchoge or Sir Mo Farah with
big muscles and tighs because they do not need to build that due to their area
of specialty. Any runner with their kind of physique is most likely to be a
long-distance one and switching to sprint would require work on speed strength
and other training needed for a successful sprint career.

Researchers have confirmed the average 100m short distance runner is tall and
has a good mesomorphic shape that possesses more than 80% fast-twitch fibers.
Another thing to know when turning to sprint from long-distance running is that
the best sprinters have relatively narrow hips and slim lower limbs, resulting
in a biomechanical advantage for the sprinter.

Running: Can a long distance runner turn into a sprinter?

Bryan Armetta

While most fans are familiar with the prestigious football schools of the NCAA's
Division I, the smaller programs of Division II often go unnoticed. 

Even though the 2020 season was cancelled due to Covid-19, football fans should
make sure to pay attention to the always-entertaining world of Division II
football this year.

This doesn't mean the competition isn't any less intense, demanding, or
rewarding for those who play for one of the 169 teams
[https://www.ncsasports.org/football/division-2-colleges] in Division II
football. Here are the five best Division II conferences in the country,
assessed on a basis of consistency, recent history, and outlook for the 2021-22
season.

*Rankings courtesy of Versus Sports Simulator
[https://www.versussportssimulator.com/2021-D2-Preseason-College-Football-Rankings]


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Gulf South Conference
It's difficult to find a better duo amongst the 17 Division II conferences than
West Florida and Valdosta State. West Florida comes into the season as the
defending Division II champions, while Valdosta State took home the 2018 title.
The last time these two teams met, West Florida squeaked out a 35-32 win in the
second round of the playoffs against a Valdosta State team that entered the
tournament as the No. 1 overall seed.

Elsewhere in the conference, West Alabama, West Georgia, Delta State, and
Florida Tech all enter the season with rosters capable of making a run at a GSC
title.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association
The only school in the MIAA that enters the 2021-22 season as one of Division
II's elites would be Northwest Missouri State, the reigning conference champions
and current fourth-ranked team in the nation. The Bearcats have a history of
winning; they have the most titles in Division II history at six, with the most
recent coming in 2016.

> The @NWBearcat_FB [https://twitter.com/NWBearcat_FB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] team
been has been pegged at No. 4 in the 2021 Preseason @WeAreAFCA
[https://twitter.com/WeAreAFCA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] Top 25 Poll. 
https://t.co/bwYo4qvL6l pic.twitter.com/sdYgUgQGOg [https://t.co/sdYgUgQGOg]

— Northwest Football (@NWBearcat_FB) August 16, 2021
[https://twitter.com/NWBearcat_FB/status/1427370260097732633?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
However, what the MIAA lacks in top-heavy teams, it makes up for in quality
depth. Four other schools make Versus' preseason top 25: #15 Central Missouri,
#16 Fort Hays State, #18 Nebraska-Kearney, and #23 Pittsburg State, a program
with the most wins in Division II history
[https://www.ncaa.com/news/football/article/2020-10-31/winningest-teams-dii-football-history?utm_campaign=links-bundle-asset]
.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Great Lakes Valley Conference
The GLVC may not be at the peak of its powers currently; just #10 Indianapolis
and #20 Lindenwood sit in Versus' preseason Top 25. However, the conference has
a rich history of success, headlined by Grand Valley State's four Division II
titles in a span of just five years (2002-2006).

Right now, the conference's strength will likely lie in its overall depth.
Schools like Truman State, Missouri S&T, McKendree, and Quincy may not be world
beaters, but they should be tough enough to ensure that the GLVC title will be
hotly contested throughout the season.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference
The high-octane RMAC may have the most convincing argument for funnest Division
II conference as well as the oldest. However, that doesn't mean the quality of
play is subpar. This season, watch out for #12 Colorado School of Mines, the
defending RMAC champions, and #13 Colorado-St. Pueblo, whose only regular season
loss came to the Orediggers in September of 2019.

> Colorado School of Mines tops the 2021 RMAC 🏈 preseason poll. Check out the
complete preseason rankings.

📰 - https://t.co/DUhV1QAdOq#EverythingElevated
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/EverythingElevated?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] 
pic.twitter.com/oiT5RgMTFw [https://t.co/oiT5RgMTFw]

— RMAC Sports (@RMAC_SPORTS) August 4, 2021
[https://twitter.com/RMAC_SPORTS/status/1422950484403376129?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
The rest of the RMAC shouldn't be too imposing for the two top dogs, but there
should still be plenty of fight from schools like Colorado Mesa, Chadron State,
and Adams State.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference
Rounding out the list is the GLIAC, a conference that usually has at least one
school go deep in the postseason. The most likely candidate to take home a
championship would have to be Ferris State, who sit at the top of Versus'
preseason rankings. The Bulldogs always seem to do well in big games; they've
reached the semifinals in three out of the last four seasons, including a
championship game defeat to Valdosta State in 2018.

> 2021 #GLIACFB [https://twitter.com/hashtag/GLIACFB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
🏈 Coaches Poll

1️⃣FSU
2️⃣GVSU
3️⃣WSU
4️⃣SVSU
5️⃣MTU
6️⃣DU
7️⃣NMU
8️⃣NU

🔗https://t.co/F7hqM9HXJ2#GLIACMediaDay21
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/GLIACMediaDay21?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] 
#GLIACFB [https://twitter.com/hashtag/GLIACFB?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]🏈 
#WhereChampionsCompete
[https://twitter.com/hashtag/WhereChampionsCompete?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw] 
 pic.twitter.com/6O8nobjkM6 [https://t.co/6O8nobjkM6]

— GLIAC (@GLIACsports) August 9, 2021
[https://twitter.com/GLIACsports/status/1424779420800323596?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw]
Unfortunately for Ferris State, the only GLIAC team to ever win a national title
is rival Grand Valley State, who won four in a span of just five years
(2002-06). While GVS isn't the juggernaut it used to be, their #14 ranking
signals a team that should be right at the top of the conference standings.
Other quality GLIAC programs this year should include Wayne State, Davenport,
Saginaw Valley State, and Michigan Tech.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ranking the Five Best Division II Football Conferences

Rebekah Morris

No matter who you are, no matter what kind of athlete you are, no matter how
talented you are, there will be moments of failure. In fact, if you continue to
play the game and aren't failing in some form, then you aren't learning. 

Some moments are worst than others: practices can go wrong, days can go bad,
games can go unexpectedly, but in these moments there are always ways to handle
it that can make the situation better.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1) Focus On The Process, Not The Results
Whenever someone is learning a new skill, it is quite common that their talent
or success at that skill will shoot downwards before upwards. This could be
learning a new type of serve, transforming to swing blocking, trying a new
approach, or digging with a different platform. While learning the skill it is
important to understand that you are not going to become immediately great at
the skill. Everything takes practice, and if you're determined to get better at
the specific skill then put in more practice. Be the person arriving early at
the gym, staying late, and get as many reps in as possible. Soon that skill that
once seemed alien will become something that you are good at.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2) Play Functionally
Volleyball is a game about errors. While other sports are as well, volleyball is
very specific to errors because errors give the other team a point. There isn't
going to be a game or practice where someone doesn't make an error.

Instead of focusing on the error, adapt to it. How are you going to react to the
error? Playing functionally means focusing on your fundamental skills and simply
playing the game.

Don't give yourself an expectation of perfect. Simply think about the simple
parts about the game - the skills that have become habit because you've honed
them everyday in practice.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

3) Focus On What You're Doing Right
The more you focus on what you're struggling with, the more you're going to
struggle. But there's a good thing about volleyball. There's a lot to volleyball
and the odds are you're doing something really well!

 * If you're an outside and you're having a terrible attacking day, change your
   focus to passing or defense.
 * If you're a middle and having problems blocking a hitter, shift your mindset
   to how well you're hitting the ball.
 * If you're a libero and having a bad defensive day, target your serving.

When you start to pay attention to what you're doing right, you're confidence
will increase and before you know it the part of the game that you're struggling
with will start to get better.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

4) Hitch A Ride With Your Teammate
When it seems like you are having no successes on your own, hitch a ride with
your teammate.

This isn't a literal ride in the car with your teammate, but is a trick that can
be used to stop thinking about how you're playing and becoming a cheerleader for
the friend on your team who is playing great that day.

As you cheer for her, give her credit, and exchange high-fives, you will start
to feed off the positive energy you're radiating towards her.

Whether you start playing better or not, you have no contributed something more
to the team and can come back to the next practice with refreshed vigor and a
more positive attitude.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

5) Drop the Fear and Play Freely 
The more fear you have of making an error or mistake... the more likely you will
probably make those errors and mistakes.

Drop the fear and recognize that you are going to make mistakes because everyone
makes mistakes, especially in the game of volleyball.

When you play freely, without the thought of making errors, you will play more
confidently and more controlled. There will be less hesitation and confusion if
you play freely. 

Another great way to achieve this is to visualize the game, see yourself in your
head completing these skills. Visualizing yourself succeeding will help you play
more freely and give you the chance to move on past any mental struggle you
might be having


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Being mentally tough will help any athletes who are working through some
learning skills or positions. But not all athletes are automatically mentally
tough and we can train our brains to become mentally tougher.

By focusing on the process, playing functionally, paying attention to what
you're doing well, supporting others, and playing freely, you can get through
any peiod where you're struggling and start feeling and playing better.

After you've surpassed your struggle you have become more mentally tough and so
are more prepared for it the next time and have also learned how to adapt or
thrive in a skill or position that you previously hadn't been great at.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Rebekah Morris [https://gmtm.com/articles/author/rebekah-morris] is a
contributing writer and former D-III volleyball player at Minnesota-Morris, with
over a decade of experience at the club, high school, and collegiate levels. She
currently serves as head coach at her former high school in Grand Rapids,
Minnesota.

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Lead off Triple

Wando vs James Island
Robert E Hayes Field
Mount Pleasant, SC
August 12th 2022

Twitter: @ConnorTFootball
Instagram: connortfootball

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