Learning from game and exam situations:
Volleyball players understand both situations well
Matthew Kwok
Being a university student requires plenty of dedication and commitment in order to succeed in one’s studies; being a student-athlete only increases one’s responsibilities.
Student-athletes need to be successful in the classroom but they also want to perform well in their sport. Athletes face unique challenges of balancing their studies with sport. They understand the parallels between game and exam situations. Here are some unique situations that are experienced by players from the Bison men’s volleyball team, for whom preparing for exams is a lot like preparing for a volleyball game.
My role as academic advisor of the Bison men’s volleyball team is to work with all athletes in various areas related to their studies. Skills that they identify as important are time management and organizational skills. Many hours are consumed with practices, weight training, team meetings, travel to games, and attending classes.
“Good time management skills often translate into a good student-athlete,” says Derek Tyler, a fourth-year middle blocker and co-captain of the team. “Aside from weekly practices, there are often road games on the weekend, which includes commitments such as game film, game day practices, team meetings, and the actual game itself.”
Another aspect of time management that Tyler mentions that of missing classes — often on Thursdays and Fridays due to away games. Besides scheduling study time, he says there is constant need to find out from classmates or professors what is missed in class.
Zack Diboll, a second-year setter on the team, echoes Tyler’s points. “Missing classes is part of the challenge faced by university athletes,” Diboll says. “Knowing a few other classmates to access class notes or to form study groups are beneficial. Also, taking advantage of the professor’s office hours is useful because more often than not, they are willing to help you in understanding the course content better.”
Before a game, the team knows the game strategy they will carry out. Likewise, in an exam, it is useful to be familiar with the nature of the exam before writing it. To fully prepare mentally for exams student-athletes must ask themselves: how much is the exam worth? What content will be covered on the exam? Although exam details may be revealed closer to the exam date, it is very important to start thinking about the exam a few weeks ahead of time.
During the actual game or exam is when students can showcase what they have practiced or studied. As Tyler says, “Being mentally and physically prepared for a game or an exam is very similar to one another: applying the drills and techniques you have learned over the week of practice and having a solid grasp of what kinds of questions asked on the exam and its possible answers.”
Learning from what happens post-game or post-exam is important. There are both positives and negatives arising out of a completed game. If the team wins, the positives typically outweigh the negatives, and vice versa. Regardless of the outcome, a good team will always want improvement. Likewise, after an exam is written, student-athletes must not lose sight of the information learned. A good student is one who is able to learn from his or her (l mistakes while striving to improve for the next exam.
One study strategy that student-athletes use is to break down large tasks into smaller components. This is an effective study strategy but also avoids the need to cram. Likewise, during volleyball practice, coaches do not often cover every possible drill or technique known to mankind. Rather, they apply the principle just described above: namely to focus only on a few drills such as passing, blocking, and serving. Drills promote repetition and refinement. The coach’s role is to construct drills that simulate game situations.
You, the reader, may not necessarily be a student-athlete yourself, but keep in mind that the goals of writing an exam is a lot like what volleyball players face when playing a match: ensuring maximum success and optimal performance regardless of the situation.
Matthew Kwok is the acadmic advisor for the U of M men’s volleyball team.
