THE ANXIETY every player gets before the big game can be overwhelming. At Granger High, we have a lot of different sports to choose from. Giving an insider insight on how our athletes prepare for game may give students more than just the chills.

Many would say that hard work pays off. Students may know who’s on the team and the scores they get, however, they don’t know what goes on behind the curtains. As track students prepare for the upcoming pain of shin splints, Daniel Flores (12) makes sure to have a daily routine. “Something I do is make sure I get plenty of rest, stay hydrated, and do an easy an workout before,” Flores said.

As for other athletes, it can be something such as listening to music or simply receiving motivational speeches from others on the team. This can be a way to gain the correct motivation that everyone needs in order to be hyped throughout the game.

“I have to be mentally prepared, just having in mind that it can be a game that changes our lives,” Ubaldo Moreno (12) said. Always having a positive mindset is something that most Granger High athletes would agree on. All sports have more to them than just throwing a ball or running a certain distance.

“I give myself a huge confidence boost and tell myself that I am capable of doing anything as long as I put my mind to it,  in case I ever get nervous,” Violeta Gonzalez (10) said.  Making sure that an athlete has a good mindset is very important. A player cannot go into a game with the mindset that they will lose, or else there game might not turn out the way they want it to. Therefore, knowing how to prepare for a big game is important.

For baseball player Kaleb Breeze (9), this means never nervous when entering a game. “I get hyped before the game and it stays like that the whole time,” Breeze said. Getting pumped up and not losing the adrenaline rush is something we all wish for. However, that may not the case for all athletes.

“Out of all the years I have been at Granger, I was never wanting to join a sports team. But joining track is something I wouldn’t take back. The amazing feeling you get before the big meet is what makes it all worth it,” Flores said.

Having to run miles on the daily or needing to do the correct exercises in order to be physically prepared is what kills most athletes. Hearing complaints that they’re always sore from the hard practice they had the day before may make other students lose interest.

For Gonzalez, getting those daily pains are what inspire her to push harder. “I’ve felt like giving up all just because I had the worst pain, but my parents always told me that you have to push yourself in order to get where you want to be,” Gonzalez said.

Many athletes have talked about changing their routines whenever they are getting used to it. This is because they believe they aren’t pushing their bodies to the fullest, and when they’re on the field they know what they are capable of not doing and doing.

“In the first 10 minutes of the game we as a team should already know the weaknesses, best players, and what game plan they are using. Then for the rest of the game we just push ourselves already knowing about the other team,” Moreno said.

Athletes push one another to do better than they were the day before. “If I see myself falling behind, I replay everything my parents have told me and I make sure that the other team eats dirt,” Gonzalez said. Though having great sportsmanship may be important, for Gonzalez having her mind towards victory is what comes into play while on the field.

“The pain is only temporary so if I tell myself that tomorrow will be a better day, then I will push myself past my limits in order to reach the goals I have set for myself,” Gonzalez said.  When it comes to preparing for a big game, it’s more about self confidence and having everything needed for one’s self. Teammates will be there as a guide, but it is always up to each individual to decide how to play the game.