CV Student Media –
DREW BATY –
Along with the start of a new season comes the beginning of long runs, sore legs, tired arms, and lots of time in the weight room for athletes school-wide. Each sport prepares differently for the season ahead of them. “The soccer team scrimmages every Monday and Wednesday in order to get touches on the ball. The team conditions every Thursday to prevent injury that could happen during the season,” said Morgan Elliott, a freshman girl soccer player. The spring weather allows for the teams to finally start practicing outside. However, the weather is always still unpredictable and often takes a turn for the worse. JV girls lacrosse player Kiara Fraden said, “The girls lacrosse team used to just do weights and then run for about an hour but now we go out on the track and run and do stick skills when it’s nice outside.” Seeing athletes outside is a sign of the start of the spring season.
Training can often be hard but it is for the best of the players and the team in general. Some teams even get the chance to scrimmage their opponents before the real games come around. “The work we put in during the offseason is really important. We have been playing a ton of lacrosse during preseason against teams we will go up against in the spring. It’s really important to prepare yourself and your team before the season,” said Jackson Mitchell, the goalie for the boys varsity lacrosse team. Athletes from all different sports agree that it’s important to work hard during preseason. It’s a proven fact that putting in extra effort before the season ensures a more successful year. “The amount of work you put in during preseason is crucial. Getting in shape before the season is so important because if you don’t you will be spending the entire season trying to catch up to your teammates,” said girls soccer forward Gennessey Cowles. Participating in preseason activities is often optional but it always pays off later in the season for those who do take part in it. The ones who take the time to get in shape before the season normally end up doing better later on. “For the first couple of practices we have a good turnout but some days there’s maybe 20 people. I think people stop coming because they don’t want to do the workouts and they loose interest in the sport after a while,” said Codi Davis, a girls distance track runner.
Preseason training isn’t easy, to say the least. It takes a lot of commitment and mental toughness to get yourself back in shape. Ryan Kelly, a varsity boys baseball player, said, “Our preseason is a lot of hard work, it’s almost as if there is no offseason. Our offseason workout consist of a lot of running and weightlifting. It prepares us to jump right into the swing of things because 19 games goes by very fast.” Preseason helps athletes get back into the game and make sure that they are ready for the season ahead of them as well as to make sure they are in good enough shape for the season. “I think preseason helps with building up strength so you are prepared when season starts both physically and mentally,” said girls track star Bria Stalker. Every student has their own opinion on the preseason activities. Some think it’s a serious time, others… not so much. “The preseason is just a way to get better in a laid back way,” said boys varsity lacrosse player Caleb Smith. No matter what the athletes think about the preseason, there’s no argument over whether or not it’s an important part of the year.
CV boys baseball player Aaron Faragallah said, “It is more work than we have had in the past seasons but it is a nice change and helps us prepare for the upcoming season.”. Even though preseason may be a pain, both literally and physically, the hard work eventually pays off during critical moments in the season.