Student Athletes Keep Busy in the Off-Season
Student athletes practice and play with club teams for soccer, volleyball and lacrosse.
PHOTO | Emma Miller
Junior Brie Bowes cradles the ball during a lacrosse fall ball game last season, Oct. 1, 2017. Fall ball gives the lacrosse team extra practice to prepare for the high school season in the spring.
As the fall sports season has ended, many athletes are prepping for their next game. Whether it be on the field or on the court, students are committed to their crafts and continue to work hard year round. Outside of school, various clubs keep girls active and involved, such as junior Phoebe Mullen, who plays soccer for KC Atletico.
“We start practicing in June and our season starts in August,” Mullen said. “Then we have indoor soccer, and that’s from November to February.”
For some, the season is never-ending. According to Mullen, there’s never any break. Club soccer practices through the winter, just in time for the school team to come together early spring. With multiple practices a week and conditioning in between, things can get a little busy.
“You typically have one game per week, but then in a tournament, you can have three to four,” Mullen said.
Similar to soccer, lacrosse keeps athletes occupied constantly, according to sophomore Avery Brundige. Tournaments out of state in places like Chicago and Nashville keep the girls on their toes as they continue to improve.
“To prep for the season I’m playing fall ball with the Sion team, and practicing a lot on my own,” Brundige said. “My favorite thing is probably how focused the coaches and team are and how fast you can get better if you really dedicate yourself.”
Off the field, volleyball players are continuing their work with extra training as club season begins. Some, like junior Liz Jacobs, train every other day, with practices in between.
“Once it starts I will train on the days I don’t have practice,” Jacobs said. “We start in November and depending on if we go to nationals or not, we could play until June.”
Club sports allow the athletes to push for one more sprint, one more kick and one more throw to help them hone their skills. It allows the girls to stay in shape and have fun while preparing for the next season.
“My favorite thing about playing club is honestly my teammates,” Mullen said. “We have a really strong bond and it’s basically like a second family.”