For a lot of student-athletes, the day starts long before the sun is up. Morning practices have become a routine for high school sports, but are they actually as helpful as many coaches believe? Athletes have mixed opinions. Some say morning practices help students get a head start on the day, while others would do anything to be able to fall back asleep for that crucial extra hour.
One major benefit of morning practices is the discipline they create. Waking up early isn’t easy, but it does build dedication and mental toughness. Additionally, knocking out practice first thing in the morning can leave a free afternoon for student-athletes to perform other activities. After school, student-athletes can focus and prioritize their time on commitments like homework, jobs or just spending time with friends.
Sophomore Justin Shern who is on the varsity track and field team would much rather practice in the morning than after a long school day.
“The biggest benefit from morning practices is that you get to have the workout out-of-the-way and that way you can go about the rest of your day without having it hanging over your head,” Shern said.
Coaches also believe players are more engaged and alert in the mornings since they haven’t been worn out by the school day yet. Physical Education teacher and head coach of the boys and girls track team, Nicole Graydon, is in favor of morning practices.
“Setting habits of morning workouts sets people off to have a successful day, boosting your mood, confidence and brain activity. Our cross country runners love seeing the sun rise and have bonded over morning workouts,” Graydon said.
However, the biggest downside of morning practices is the impact on sleep. It’s no secret that most teenagers don’t get enough sleep as it is, and making them wake up at five or six a.m. for practice makes it even harder for them to obtain optimal sleep. Junior Ben Vaughn, a player on the boys varsity football team agrees.
“The worst thing about morning practice is that it’s early and hard to wake up,” Vaughn said, “[But] I think a mix of both is good.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, teenagers need around eight to ten hours of sleep a night. However, with early practice times, most student-athletes are lucky to get seven.
“Anytime I have morning practices I have to get up earlier and don’t get as much sleep,” Shern said.
As a result, not enough sleep can lead to poor performance in both practice and games. It can also lead to poor recovery and cause a higher risk for injury.
Besides that, morning practices place significant demands on an athlete’s already packed schedule. Balancing school, sports and everything else in life is already a challenge—and adding an early morning workout to the schedule just creates more stress.
A lot of athletes show up to practice half asleep, which makes the workouts less productive. Plus, morning practices aren’t always mandatory, they are recommended, which allows a lot of student athletes to just skip them all together.
Burnout becomes a real issue too. Athletes who are always on-the-go with little sleep may start to lose motivation, feel overwhelmed and see a decrease in their performance.
Ultimately, whether or not athletes like morning practices depends on the individual. Some players love the idea of getting their practice done early and having the rest of the day to themselves. Others struggle with the early hours and would much rather practice in the afternoon when they’re more awake and ready to give a 100 percent.
As high school sports continue to demand more from athletes the debate over morning practices isn’t going anywhere. While they are a way to stay disciplined and focused, morning practices are also a source of stress and sleep deprivation. In the end, finding the right balance may be the key to keeping athletes healthy, motivated and performing at their best.
