+ Why Do Sports Records Matter?

Softball was only one of my daughter’s many sports in elementary school!

Student athletes are busy kids, and keeping a running log of their athletic endeavors is important for several reasons.

My daughter is an avid sailor. As a long-time homeschooler, she sailed for the local public high school team and was team captain for two of her four high school varsity years. I kept track of her regattas, coach commendations and awards, along with conferences, clinics and private lessons. I wrote down all the different types of boats she sailed on, her positions and where they were located. I knew she would be recruited as a college sailor, so I was committed to being prepared for the time when this information was needed.

One fall my daughter decided to join the school's volleyball team with her friends. She loved it. Next, she wanted to learn how to play tennis, so we organized private lessons. I wrote all this down too. Her athleticism expanded to include weight training, yoga, pilates and spin classes.

My original plan was to dutifully record her sailing-related teams and awards only. But her athletic profile became so much more than this, especially when her high school volleyball team won the State Championship!

As a result of my record-keeping, she was able to build an extensive student-athlete profile in her college applications, and used all of her activities to create an athletic resume for prospective coaches. Upon review of my sports records, she realized that the variety of her athletic pursuits were in fact impressive, and this became the basis for one of her supplemental essays during college application season.

You never know exactly what information you will need. But if you are keeping a consistent record of your student’s activities, you will be armed and ready with every detail at a moments notice. Parents must have a system for organizing student achievements, because at some point you will want or need this information. No one else is keeping these comprehensive details for you.