As the winter chills begin to wind down, West athletes are dedicating their time and energy to offseason training to prepare for the upcoming spring sports season.
For tennis players, the offseason is a crucial time to adjust technique and improve endurance. Many tennis girls are participating in indoor practices and when they can get on the tennis courts without snow, the team focuses on footwork and racket drills. Building chemistry in the offseason is important especially for the doubles partners so that players don’t start fresh right when the season begins. “I definitely think it’s important to be working out and working on your skills because for three quarters of the year, you’re not doing that sport,” said senior tennis player Sophie Dupar.
For track and field athletes, the offseason is all about building a strong foundation for sprinting, distance running, and field events. Many runners are following structured training workouts that include strength training and core workouts. The track team has practices every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. “During the offseason, we see who is going to be leaders, who wants to listen, and who wants to push themselves throughout the year,” said senior hurdles runner, Kaitlyn Fenton.
Soccer players gearing up for the spring season are emphasizing strength training and agility drills. The soccer players have weights on Mondays and Thursdays and then have practices on Tuesdays incorporating footwork drills. In the offseason, there is also an indoor team that has a game every Monday night. “We do a lot of passing drills and possession drills,” mentioned sophomore Harlow Cropper.
Baseball players are using the offseason to focus on fundamentals. They utilize practices by dropping the cages in the aux gym to hit. Strength training and conditioning are also essential components, helping players build muscle and prevent injuries. “Knowing your team in the offseason is very important because if we don’t know anything about each other when the season comes then we are really going to struggle,” sophomore Elliott Leffler said.
Coaches and trainers emphasize the offseason so heavily because it is not just about physical conditioning. It helps develop discipline, teamwork, and mental resilience. Athletes who work in the offseason have a better advantage when season arrives which sets the tone for the season.
