For those of you who are in a competitive league of sports, you may be completely new to the idea of how to do something as easy as to care for your sports uniform. Indeed, sometimes it can be quite stressful if you forget your shirt or shorts right before a game and you are scrambling about, trying to figure out where you last put them. Was it the gym bag? Your buddy’s house? Or are they in the laundry hamper at home?
Below are three suggestions for learning to better care for your sports uniform without having to worry about losing it. Just remember it will take a balanced plan to make this work well for those who are not used to keeping track of school uniforms.
The first step to caring for your uniform is to wash it immediately following a game. Many players will throw the uniform on the ground and forget about it. Or, after bringing it home, they’ll forget to have it washed, leaving it as an odorous reminder before the next game. Another scenario is that when the time comes and they need it again, they can’t find it. If you wash the uniform right after the game, or remind a parent to do so, you should then place it in the same location afterward where you know you won’t forget it, such as on top of your dresser or hanging in a closet, or any place where you can find it easily. When the time comes, you will be able to collect it without panicking. You don’t want to be benched on the technicality of having no uniform!
The second step is to keep an eye on it after the game. Some players wear their uniforms home afterward. But for those who change after the game, don’t toss it towards your book bag and hope it remains there, ready for victimization by a teammate or a fan. Keep hold of it until you get home or that night’s destination, such as a friend’s house, and don’t lay it down where you might forget about it, as in the back seat of a friend’s car.
The third step is to launder it properly and return it promptly. Some uniforms have tags with washing instructions; others that do not require directions from the coach. Find out if there are any special precautions for removing stains or for drying it. For example, some fabrics should not go through the dryer, as they can get wrinkled or damaged by the heated movement. At the end of the season, be sure to turn in your uniform as requested. Forgetting it or trying to keep it means that the school will have to pay for a replacement. And that’s school money that could be used to buy something more important, like new textbooks or computer supplies.
No matter what level of sport you play, members of an organized team will most likely have to deal with managing a uniform that doesn’t belong to them. Being careful with your uniform will not just mean making you happy since you’ll get to keep playing and avoid penalties; it also means keeping your team happy. Whether you believe it or not, you are a part of a team, and if you are not responsible, you are letting your teammates down by not caring enough to take precautions and care for your uniform, the emblem of your commitment to the game and to others. It is your duty to make sure that you not only have your uniform, but that you aren’t late because you couldn’t find it on time or because it didn’t get washed. Take care of team property to show that you are a professional athlete through and through.
