Regis University Ties with West Texas A&M University in Men’s Soccer

James Ortiz, Staff Photographer

On Friday, September 6th, 2024, Regis University took on West Texas A&M University in Men’s Soccer. Both sides played effectively and defensively, resulting in a tie, with a score of 2 points on either side. 

The Men’s Soccer team from West Texas A&M University prepares for the game to start. Photo by James Ortiz

Players go head to head in this Friday night game. Photo by James Ortiz 

West Texas A&M University celebrates a goal. Photo by James Ortiz

The Regis community supports the team. Photo by James Ortiz

Tips to Help Student-Athletes Manage Imposter Syndrome

By Amber Ramsey, Guest Writer

Note: The following story was written by our guest writer, Amber Ramsey, of Learn It For Life. We are proud to publish her work and always welcome guest articles. 

Visit https://learnitforlife.info/ to read more from Amber Ramsey

Visit https://ruhighlander.org/contact-us to share your work with us. 

Do you feel like you don’t belong at your level? Do you think you “lucked out” and other people are going to “expose you” for being a fraud? If you’ve ever thought similar thoughts, you’re experiencing imposter syndrome. This is a behavioral phenomenon that’s common with professionals in every field, including sports. It’s accompanied by symptoms like anxiety, self-doubt, negative self-talk, fears of the future, feelings of inadequacy, and constantly comparing yourself to others. 

Having imposter syndrome isn’t cause for alarm. It’s rarely a lifelong issue and gets easier to manage with time. It does need to be actively addressed, however. If left unchecked, it can affect your health, your performance, and, eventually, your sporting career. 

Accept Imperfection 

People with imposter syndrome often set unreasonably high standards for themselves. And then they find themselves “falling short” and feeling inadequate as a result. It’s important to understand that no one is perfect, including the best athletes. Go easy on yourself. It’s okay to have a reasonably high standard but don’t expect perfection. Focus on doing your best instead of being perfect. Psychology Today explains how to accept personal imperfections.  

Challenge Negative Thoughts 

Your mind can be your best friend or your worst enemy. When it’s the latter, you’ll constantly experience irrational fears disguised as thoughts and believe many things about yourself that just aren’t true. You need to actively work on checking negative thoughts if you don’t already. Some ways to do so are reframing thoughts to be more positive (from “I’m a faker” to “I’m learning”), learning critical thinking skills (asking yourself if it’s true), and learning to quieten your mind. Tasting Page offers some helpful suggestions.

Be a Work in Progress 

If you’re feeling like an imposter, reflect on the fact that nobody is born a successful athlete. They start from scratch, work for it, and then grow into that role over time. Needless to say, you’re in the same boat and you, too, can be a successful athlete with time. Even if you’re unhappy with your existing skills, you can always work on them. There’s nothing stopping you from growing.   

You can only improve your outlook by trying to keep your surroundings as clean and organized as possible. For instance, decluttering your bedroom, doing the dishes, and keeping up with your laundry can make a huge difference in how you feel!

Set and Achieve Sporting Goals 

Setting and achieving goals is arguably the best way to prove to yourself you’re not a fraud. Frauds, by definition, can’t set and achieve goals because they’re faking. Goals can be small or big ones – they all matter. Some examples are learning new sporting skills, improving your speed, increasing your strength, winning a practice game, and more. Tracking and measuring your progress can also help you combat your feelings of being a fake. 

Obviously, you’re no stranger to exercise, but there’s always room for improvement. Try adding a different form of exercise – even if it’s just walking to conduct errands – that’ll allow you to get some fresh air and a little extra charge of endorphins to help improve your outlook.

Connect with Supportive People

You’re not alone, and there are other people invested in your progress. Talking to people who care about you – your family, friends, coaches, and more – can help you feel better about yourself and give you some much-needed validation. 

Work on Your Self-Confidence 

When you’re confident, you’re sure about yourself and your place in life. It’s the antithesis of feeling like an imposter. Self-confidence needs to be nurtured and developed over time. Broadening your horizons by getting a part-time or full-time job (in sports or elsewhere) – and making money – is an excellent way to gain confidence. You can carry the confidence over to your sporting career. If you’re a student with no previous experience, you can start by creating and updating your resume. If you aren’t sure how to get started, try using a free resume template that can highlight your skills in the most persuasive way possible. 

Start a Business

If you’d like to try being your own boss, you could start your own business, too. There are plenty of solopreneur ideas – like home repair, graphic design, consignment sales, data entry, tutoring, landscaping, and dog-grooming, just to name a few. You’ll learn many practical skills and gain valuable life experience that will stand you in good stead in your sporting career. There are many businesses (sport-related or otherwise) that students can open in their spare time with just a few hundred dollars. 

Imposter syndrome is a common problem that needs to be actively managed. Fortunately, with some targeted self-care and self-help, you can minimize its effects and even root it out completely. Remember that you don’t have to face imposter syndrome alone – you can always reach out to your family, friends, or mental health care professionals for assistance.

Faculty night at the volleyball game Photo Essay

By: Amy Reglin, Photo Editor

Friday night the women's volleyball team hosted MSU Denver at home during faculty night. Prior to the game faculty members enjoyed drinks and food and then each player lined up with a faculty member of their choice to be honored.

Each set, the women fought hard with many lead changes. The Rangers took the first set but fell to MSU Denver in the second and third sets. Senior Izzy Gosar lead the team with 16 kills.

Be sure to come out Oct. 11 to cheer your number 12 ranked Rangers at their next home game.