Sprinting into spring sports

Student-athletes describe their pre-season conditioning

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Photo courtesy sophomore Leah Haileselassie

The varsity girls lacrosse team practices one day after school in February. Their conditioning throughout the fall and winter helped prepare them for the long season ahead of them.

Casey Ver Meulen, Staff Writer

Every athlete knows that training for an upcoming season begins well before the first practice. As tryouts for spring sports wrap up, the players are currently doing a lot of exhausting work to get in shape for their seasons. I had the opportunity to interview a player from each spring sports program to get a better look at their conditioning.

What is your spring sports conditioning like? 

Senior Mary Parker Lynch, Lacrosse: Lacrosse conditioning is very easy, but I am thankfully missing it this year because I’m in quarantine.

Senior Dori Lauth, Soccer: For girls soccer, conditioning is always difficult. We get timed for multiple exercises, and it is always nerve-wracking. While it can be stressful, it is also exciting because it is also the first time we are all together.

Senior Michael Cooper, Lacrosse: My spring sports conditioning is mainly a lot of running the Seaver [sports complex]. We do sprints, agility, and long-distance running.

Senior Jack Parker, Soccer: It is tough, with lots of running.

Senior Sinclair Eberline, Baseball:Our conditioning for baseball is two weeks of running, agility, core strength work, and doing baseball-related things without balls and gloves.

 

Do you enjoy being able to get out with your team before the season starts? 

Lynch: Yes. I love hanging out with my teammates outside of the lacrosse field before and after the season.

Lauth: Yes. It is always so exciting to see everyone back together that first week of school and even though it can be a difficult and stressful week, it also is the start of the season which is always something to get excited for.

Cooper: Yes. Being able to be with the team before our real practice only helps us come together and be able to work together better-come game time.

Parker: Yes. Being able to get out with my team before the season creates great chemistry.

Eberline: I do enjoy being able to get out with the team before the season. I think it’s good, cause we can slowly progress our way back into baseball without jumping right into it.

 

When conditioning, what drives you to keep from giving up? 

Lynch: My competitive nature drives me to do the best I can always.

Lauth: Being around everyone in such a competitive atmosphere is the main thing that keeps me going and pushes me to work as hard as I can.

Cooper: I know that if I give up I will let my teammates down. I know especially as a senior that I set an example for some of the younger players, so I must make sure they don’t see one of their leaders give up.

Parker: Making the times [for running exercises] is important for me because I push myself to make each time as a personal goal.

Eberline: During conditioning, I think the driving factor that keeps everyone going is the fact that the season is so close and we as a team want to be ready for our first game.

 

What is the hardest exercise that you have to do during conditioning? 

Lynch: The hardest exercise during conditioning is sprinting because it feels like you never get a break. Always seems like they are never going to end.

Lauth: The most difficult exercise is probably the timed mile and a half.

Cooper: The hardest exercise we have to do is run three miles on Friday [during tryouts] without stopping

Parker: The hardest exercise for me is long-distance running rather than short distance running because being in football shape helps out with short distance but not long-distance running.

Eberline: The hardest exercise is probably the core exercises. It’s a big circuit with no breaks and it is not the easiest thing to do.