While varsity athletes’ fall season has come to a close, they are still working hard in the off-season to stay fit and prepare for their next season. Most varsity sports with fall seasons, including cross-country, tennis and volleyball, continue to train. While NCAA regulations prohibit coaches from being present at out-of-season workouts, athletes take initiative and responsibility to keep themselves in shape.
Varsity tennis has a split season, which means a short fall season and a longer one in the spring. During the time in between, the majority of tennis players continue to practice just as if they were in season.
“We should be practicing every day,” said first-year Morgan Lawless. “Our coach gives us suggestions for workouts, and then our team comes up with actual structure. We have lifting twice a week as a team, and we should hit every day.”
While most players participate in daily practices, women’s varsity tennis Coach John Hein sees the absence of competitions as an opportunity for some players to take a well-deserved break.
“From the coaching perspective, I tell my players that if they’ve played a ton over the summer, then they probably need a break from the court now or during the winter holiday,” said Coach Hein. “But really it is very individual, with some players playing daily and some taking a complete break as the needs of their own development dictate.”
Similar to tennis players, athletes who run varsity cross country have some independence in their post-season training. Cross country athletes are expected to run about the same amount as if in season, which is thirty to forty miles per week.
“Since workouts are up to us, we’ll send out emails and pick workout days and all go run or lift together,” said freshman Chelan Pauly. “It’s so much more fun to run with a group, so we do it together a lot of times. We usually spend a minimum of an hour a day exercising to stay in shape.”
Even though the end of the season still means time commitment to training, athletes understand the importance of keeping in shape out of season.
“If I weren’t running collegiately, I’d probably be doing the exact same thing I am doing now,” said Pauly.
Women’s varsity volleyball is just beginning off-season workouts, which consist of fifty minutes of daily  cardio, along with weight lifting. The players exercise at least an hour and a half a day, and push beyond what is expected of them.
“I think a vast majority of my team agrees that the weight workouts are pointless, so we all add on additional weights,” said first-year Jazmin Moledina. “The weights are helpful but don’t make us as sore as we are expecting it to, so we all add on squats and lunges.”+
