Pre-Season Survival Guide: How to Return to Uni Back & Better Than Ever
Heading back to uni after a summer off? You know what’s coming.
Pre-season: the dreaded period of fitness, fitness, and more fitness after a summer of lazing around and drinking cocktails.
Feeling overwhelmed by new freshers, fears of being dropped to a lower squad, and a whole new season of opposition to navigate? You aren’t alone. Take a read!
Prep Like a Pro: Physical & Mental Readiness
To avoid being thrown in at the deep end upon your return to university sport, physical preparation is key. Although rest is essential over the summer period, so is the maintenance of baseline fitness to ensure athletic ability is not reduced. This is different for all sports, so make sure to follow a routine personal to you. To make sure you achieve an appropriate plan, take some time to ask yourself some background questions: What are your goals this season? What’s your current level of fitness? Do you have a training plan tailored to your sport?
Other fun ways to prepare include meeting up with a teammate and training together ahead of the official calendar start of preseason, or contacting your coach to discuss some agreed goals for the season!
The Ultimate Pre-Season Checklist
Creating a quick-fire checklist can make the transition back to university sport so much easier, whilst ensuring you reach your highest potential in the new season!
Your Physical Checklist
A physical checklist will ensure that you are physically prepared – this is fundamental to success in your sport!
- Kit Check – Whatever you need for your sport! E.g., boots, shin pads, socks, training kit, match kit
- Recovery – Plan for how you will maintain a good diet and sleep pattern throughout the season.
- Fuel & Performance – What do you need to fuel your performance through the season? Gels or energy drinks?
- Injury – Are you prone to injury or recovering from one? Do you need to invest in muscle tape or support?
Your Mental Checklist
Being prepared mentally is essential – our mindset plays a role in everything we do and has physical impacts!
- Self-assessment and reflection – What lessons did you learn from last season? What will your role be in the team this year?
- Goals for next season – What do you want to achieve this season? Is it a new personal best? Promotion for your team?
- Have a look at Add Victor’s ‘Looking After your Mental Health as a Student Athlete’!
Your Academic Checklist
An academic checklist is equally as important – after all, you are at university to get your degree!
- Have you completed the work set over summer?
- Is there any reading you can do to get ahead when the term gets busy with training?
- What is your academic schedule for next term? Identify exams and major assignment deadlines.
Managing Training vs. Academic Life
The complex task of juggling training alongside your studies can often be overwhelming. But totally doable with the right tools. Organisation is key to managing training alongside academic work. To make life a little easier, and to ensure you stop missing deadlines, investing in an online calendar like Google Calendar is the key to mastering time management and block out:
- Training sessions + match days
- Lectures, deadlines, and study blocks
- Recovery time + social events
Don’t just plan hard work, schedule rest too.
Have a read of add-victor’s favourite apps for organisation, productivity and well-being. Or, ‘The Ultimate Guide to Student-Athlete Career Success’, designed specifically for student-athletes balancing the demands of academia and athletic excellence.
CV Up Keep
A new university year is the perfect chance to top up your CV. Get involved as a committee member for your sports team! This will provide you with valuable qualities that are transferrable to the real world and look amazing on a CV:
- Team Captain = Leadership experience
- Communications Officer = Communication and Public Speaking
- Social Secretary = Event Planning and Organisational Skills
- Vice President = Teamwork and Collaboration
- President = Administration, Team Coordination, and Strategic Planning
Embracing Change & What’s Next
Whatever your circumstances, just remember that a new season comes with lots of new and exciting opportunities. New chances to grow, compete, and set yourself up for the future. If you're approaching graduation or thinking beyond sport, we’re here to help. From job boards to career advice and alumni stories, add-victor is your high-performance launchpad.
🚀 Start now: sign up for free and explore what’s possible via add-victor.com
Embrace it!
Anastasia Storey
Top photo: Sienna Rushton the perfect example of a student-athlete