Life is full of rewards. Most things we do have a reward. Rewards are what motivate us and keep us coming back. Rewards come in all shapes and sizes. Money, recognition, pride, accomplishment, intrinsic reasons, prizes, enjoyment, good health. All of these can be considered rewards. Even a pint of Ben and Jerry’s Ice Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough could be a reward! The important thing to realize is that it’s ok to reward yourself for setting goals, working hard and meeting them. Life cannot be all work. So maybe you got straight A’s, or your team had a great season, you deserve a reward. Can you think of some creative ways to reward yourself? The Athletes Advisor came up with a few.

1. Get a Sports Massage. College, Olympic and Pro athletes could not get by without sports massage. Sports massage helps stretch tight muscles, alleviate muscle soreness, decreases recovery time, breaks down adhesions in the muscles and relaxes tense muscle areas. Your Massage Therapist should be Nationally Certified and come recommended. Ask a sports doctor or trainer to refer you to a good sports massage therapist.

2. Go watch a big college, or professional team. Organize your teammates for an outing to a game. If you call the school or teams public relations office and tell them about your team coming, you can sometimes get discounts on the tickets, or even visit the team if you are lucky ( and depending on the sport).

3. Road Trip to a Sports Museum or Hall of Fame. Almost every sport has a Hall of Fame and there could be one near you. Ask your parents if they would be interested in going. You can learn a lot about the history of your sport and those who paved the way for you to play today.

4. Paint Ball or Lazer Tag Games. These are a lot of fun to play with teammates. Most cities have companies that run these games in big old warehouses and supply you with all the equipment and instruction. These games can also be exhausting so be prepared!

5.  Team trip to the beach or the mountains- did you sacrifice your breaks and weekends for your sport? Make up for lost time by heading out of a day of skiing or surfing!

Regardless of what you do, make it something fun and different. High School goes by fast and you want to make the best memories possible. How have you or your team rewarded yourself for a job well done. Email us your story.