Participating in a sport is physically and mentally exhausting for all athletes. However, if you are fasting during Ramadan, the Muslim holiday that took place this year from March 10 to April 9, it can be challenging to push through with dizziness and a dry mouth, lacrosse player sophomore Haniah Mohammed explained.

Athletes celebrating Ramadan, like Mohammed, have to fast from sunrise to sunset, a time of increased charity and generosity to expand their relationship with God. Mohammed explained that it is important not to push oneself too hard while fasting. Having a coach who understands her situation makes it easier for Mohammed to play, as her coach makes exceptions for her while she is fasting. When Ramadan began, Nicolette Kelsay, girls’ Junior Varsity lacrosse coach and Fine Arts Teacher, talked with her fasting athletes to ensure she supported them while they played.

“I have been checking in every day with my player who is fasting and making sure that she feels okay and asking her if she needs anything,” Kelsay said. “I have been discussing Ramadan with her often and asking about her suhoor and iftar meals.”

Track and Field athlete junior Zahid Haque explained that your mentality is most important when getting through the hours of fasting at school.  Fasting brings an added challenge to playing sports, Haque added.

“Last year, I was fasting during the wrestling season,” Haque said. “Wrestling takes a lot out of me. It is difficult, especially mentally. Attitude is definitely affected when you’re fasting. Sometimes I want to sit down, [and] skip out [or] not go to practice.

To determine how much effort he could give to the rest of the team and himself, Haque explained that he needed to find a balance to understand how far he could push himself mentally and physically.

“There are some kids I know who are fasting and [are] not showing up to practice,” Haque said. “There are other kids, like me, who still show up to practice and still push themselves the same amount,”

While he makes sure to push himself to attend practice and give his all, there are many challenges that present themselves, Haque explained. .

“The hardest part isn’t not eating, but not drinking,” Haque said. “[Having] no water gets to me because I drink a lot of water [normally]. It’s hard during sports. Of course the coaches make exceptions, but you still want to play.”

Mohammed agreed that fasting while playing sports can be incredibly demanding.

“I get super dehydrated, my skin gets pretty bad, and I get dizzy and thirsty,” Mohammed said. “My mouth gets super dry, but I’ve gotten used to [it].”

Kelsay explained that having a team player who is fasting teaches other team members how to work together. Having a player who knows their limits is essential, she added.

“As a team sport, my other players can step up when my fasting player needs a break,” Kelsay said. “It allows the other players to understand what it means to be a ‘team truly.’”