Head straight to the front of the class with our classroom tips for student-athletes!

It’s tough these days to be a student-athlete; between daily practices, road trips, team meetings and games, student athletes have to find the time and energy to be students. Juggling athletics and academics is by no means an easy task. The fact of the matter is that the term student is part of the equation, and if you’re competing at a high school, college, or university, the classroom comes with the territory. You’re simply going to have to take care of business in the classroom if you want to participate on the field. Now that we have established that fact, let’s see if we can help by offering a few tips to help make that good grade seemingly effortless.

Lets face it, there are many teachers that let their feelings about a student effect their grading. Depending on how your teacher perceives you could be the difference between a failing or passing grade.  Although this maybe unfair, it’s the truth. Maintaining a good relationship with your teacher is one of the most important things that you can do to ensure you get the good grade you deserve. Here are some simple steps that you can take to get your teachers on your side and ultimately help you get that good grade:

1. Talk to your teachers.  There are ways to talk to your teachers without being labeled a “suck-up.” Ask them how their weekend was or how their day is going. Simple questions like this will let them know that you care. Also communication is key     especially if you’re struggling in a particular subject. Having a working relationship with a teacher will make it a lot easier to seek the extra help you need.

2. Sit in the front of the class.  Sitting on the front row will show the teacher that you are interested in what he or she is teaching, and who knows, you may actually learn something!

3. Stay organized.  Organization is the key to achieving good grades.  Keep a daily planner to remind yourself of due dates and tests.  Keep all homework, tests, and papers; you never know when you may need them again.

4. Turn assignments in on time. Turning assignments in late shows your teachers that you do not care.  Regardless of the quality of the work, simply turning in all your assignments shows your teacher you are putting forth an effort.

5. Use Time Wisely. Tackle the most difficult assignments first. By completing the harder work first, you are ensuring yourself enough time to complete it. Also, break larger projects into smaller easy-to-do segments. If you have a term paper due at the end of the semester, break up the work into smaller portions and assign deadlines to each part.

Following these simple steps should help you get you that easy A. It will absolutely help you be successful as a student, and keeping your grades up will keep you on the playing field.  Life as a student-athlete can be tough; it is important to continue to do all that you can in school to enhance your performance on and off the field.