Each second wasted, every minute spent sitting on the couch is another minute that someone else is improving. Yet, there are so many high school athletes who are content with this, and in turn they are content with being mediocre.
It is very easy as an athlete in high school to just pass the four years by only participating in the sport during season and still get decent results. However, to be an outstanding athlete, it takes so much more than showing up at practice and games and calling it good.
“You can tell when someone doesn’t practice outside of the season,” said junior Nicole Keeder. “They just aren’t as strong or in shape as people who do.”
Some students choose to play on a travel team in the off-season, but even if something is not available to someone, there are plenty of other options to stay in shape and on top of the game.
To be competitive and stand out amongst the other top athletes is almost impossible the if time is only put in during season. Each sport requires different skills and muscles, and to perfect those skills there are tons of drills and workouts that cannot be done during practice because of time restrictions.
“I work and train on my own outside of practice to make me a better all around athlete. There are barely any free days that I don’t train,” said senior Grant Ledford. “You have to want to push yourself to be the best you can be.”
Not only is it beneficial for someone to put in work outside of practice, but it also improves the team as a whole. If there are eight players on a team that are improving on their own, they will perform better than a team who has only three players that do so.
“[Your teammates] can push you to be your best, not only while playing but in the weight room. You have to be committed to the sport you love,” said Ledford.
Training is also imperative if an athlete plans to continue a sport in college. It is nearly impossible to impress college scouts during the season because it is hard for them to make it to every recruit’s games. In order to get attention, for most sports, an athlete has to attend events that colleges attend in order to get more exposure.
According to stretchcoach.com, training is not only useful for improving but also highly decreases the risk of injury, which is another benefit to working in the off season.
Almost any sports team will struggle to be successful if its players are not practicing during the offseason. Whether it is just practicing certain skills or weightlifting and conditioning, every minute spent training is another chance to improve more than the competition.