Forgetting outside issues not always easy for athletes

A lot of kids in the area are undoubtedly enjoying the end of their semester exams.

A few may be fearing them and their pending results.

It brings to mind a quote that's stuck with me for 25 years. It was in a national college basketball magazine from former Illinois star Doug Altenberger about the struggles college freshmen endured.

Altenberger was one of the best players in Peoria's rich high school hoops history at Richwoods. He mentioned you could bomb a test and run it off on the court but the classroom wasn't a place to set aside a forgettable game.

Not that Altenberger, now a successful businessman in the Northwest suburbs, ultimately had much trouble in Assembly Hall or study hall at Illinois.

But it's easy to forget playing in a game or competing in a meet isn't always a respite for teenagers and the issues and pressures they face.

Athletes are conditioned from an early age to block out external factors such as big crowds or personal issues and fully concentrate on the next play, move or race.

It's not always that simple. There are issues fans and media - even coaches and teammates - may not know about which can have an adverse effect on a performance.

Unlike the paid professionals, at this level not everything is nor should be common knowledge.

Maybe the reason a kid is struggling athletically is related to difficult times at home.

A parent's illness could have an adverse effect. Maybe it was an argument with a boyfriend or girlfriend.

The pressure of the future can also be a problem.

The most confident pitcher can suddenly lose control the first time he sees a scout's radar gun pointed at him. Knowing a college coach is in attendance can turn an athlete into a nervous wreck.

Some athletes handle these issues better than others. At times it's amazing how well kids can perform under the toughest and most pressure-filled circumstances.

While there isn't an excuse for every off game, rough race or bad match, there are times where you realize external factors may have contributed.

The ability to concentrate goes the other way, too. Take for example last week, when Schaumburg and Hoffman Estates boys basketball players had exams to prepare for and take before their big matchup.

To some of them, playing in front of nearly 3,000 fans may have been less nerveracking than silently pondering questions in a room with 25 or so classmates.

There will also be days where it's easy for minds to wander from a classroom discussion to the big game ahead.

But those who don't make the grade off the court probably won't get many more chances on it to succeed.

The most successful are those who can find a way to focus on what's important at that moment.

It's also important to remember it isn't as easy as it might seem for students and athletes who are still just kids.

mmaciaszek@dailyherald.com