Staying in shape during the long winter season is not easy for anyone, especially for Good Counsel’s spring athletes. They must balance the holidays while being ready to return to the field before winter is over.
Players on the Good Counsel baseball team must be ready to practice by mid-February, which means they must be physically and mentally prepared in the middle of winter. Head baseball coach Steve Ballance says, “Winter conditioning is important because being physically strong and in good shape will help them in all facets of their lives.” Coach Ballance believes winter conditioning is a significant factor in preventing injuries for the upcoming season. Varsity pitcher sophomore Drew Bezak says, “Winter training prepares me for the season because I can get bigger, stronger, and faster. It is a time to get my body in great shape to prepare me for the high school season.”
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Bezak faces the same challenges as Nolan when balancing school and conditioning. He says his biggest challenge is having enough time to practice every day: “I can only go and practice three or four times a week there. I wish I could go more, but there are other responsibilities I have to take care of.”
The baseball team’s first practice is on February 18th. With the help of strength and conditioning coach Skylar Saar, the team works out one hour a day three times a week before school. On the baseball side, they work out with the coaching staff for two hours, once a week; “To get everyone together before the season starts and supplement their training to be prepared for mid-February,” says Ballance.
Baseball isn’t the only spring sport where players must focus on winter conditioning. Finding time for schoolwork, practice, conditioning, and family is extremely difficult for a student-athlete. Sophomore attacker on the Boys Junior Varsity lacrosse team Connor Nolan says, “The biggest challenge is time management. Trying to get all my work done, maintain good grades, and find time to practice.”
Girls varsity lacrosse coach Mike Haight says, “If you don’t condition, you will have injuries, and conditioning prevents that.” Coach Haight starts conditioning shortly after Christmas and
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continues until the season.
Sophomore midfielder Amber Bettis says conditioning also helps with team building. “It makes our team comfortable working together and we become steps ahead of our competition.” Motivation is also a part of the conditioning process during the winter months. Bettis says, “I stay motivated in the off-season by setting personal goals I want to achieve before the season starts. I think about how I would like to perform in the new season. This gives me things to work towards and practice during the off-season and I am excited for the new season to come.”
Even though there is snow on the ground and temperatures are still in the twenties, the spring sports season is right around the corner. Good Counsel student-athletes need to balance their academic and family lives while keeping up with their winter conditioning, both physically and mentally.