Even though the fall sports season is on its last legs, athletes still have their work cut out for them. While schedules may not be as hectic as they were during the season, things like conditioning, personal practice time, and planning for future seasons will inevitably replace games and team practices. Some athletes have already begun this process of careful planning and scheduling. 

Sophomore Allison Norloff recently finished her second season with the State High Girls’ Tennis team. Norloff enjoys several different aspects of the sport and commented on a few of them. 

“I do really enjoy playing [tennis] because it’s very active and it’s a lot of fun,” Norloff said. “You really just need one person or a wall to practice, and it helps you stay active.”

While Norloff misses being around her teammates and having practices every day, she has been doing a few things to stay acquainted with the sport.

“I’ve had a few private lessons just to work on a few things, and I’ve been playing on my own with some friends on the team and my parents,” Norloff explained. “I’ve been working a little on my footwork because that’s important as well.” 

While dietary habits can be a crucial part of playing a sport, Norloff said her habits don’t especially change during the season compared to during the offseason, though she believes she may have eaten a bit healthier during the season. As well as dietary habits, there are other things that potentially may not change drastically from the season to the offseason, like practicing. Norloff readily stated that she believes practicing is the most important thing an athlete can do during the offseason. 

“Just work on things that you think you need to work on, do drilling and you’ll gradually start getting better and better,” Norloff stated. 

Sophomore Alice Gipe played on the State High Girls’ Soccer team this year and has been playing the sport since she was five years old.

“I love playing soccer because it gives me a chance to be active and be part of a team,” Gipe said. 

Transitioning into the offseason, Gipe misses having practice and playing in a team environment. However, she has been doing several things to maintain her athletic skills and ability.

“I do other things to stay active including running, biking, lifting, and more,” Gipe said. “I regularly practice in my backyard and have training sessions with my club team.” 

Gipe believes that the most important thing a player can do during the offseason is to stay active in any way possible. 

“By staying in shape and practicing throughout the offseason,” Gipe explained, “players can be better prepared to have a more successful season.”

Similarly, sophomore Molly Schreiner has been playing field hockey since seventh grade and recently finished the season as one of the four goalies on the team. Her teammates and the competitive atmosphere are what makes the sport enjoyable for Schreiner. She misses seeing her teammates and coaches every day and competing at the level of intensity that defined this past season. In an attempt to remedy this and stay in shape for future seasons, Schreiner has a few activities to keep her schedule full. 

“[One thing] that I do [is] run daily; I try to practice footwork a couple times a week so I don’t lose any of those skills,” Schreiner explained. “I go to the turf a couple times a week to keep my skills in check and to not lose any skills I’ve recently developed.” 

Additionally, for most athletes, dietary habits are an important part of the journey to success in the athletic world. For Schreiner, it’s no different. 

“During the season I’m eating a lot because I’m working out and playing a lot of games so that makes me hungrier,” Schreiner said, “but I think now it’s just nourishing my body with lots of vegetables and good foods so I’m able to keep working out.” 

Schreiner ultimately believes that the best things an athlete can do in the offseason are to keep their skills in check, fuel their bodies, and take advantage of extra time to catch up on sleep so they can perform well. 

Athletes each have their individual set of needs when it comes to succeeding in the athletic world. Dietary habits, extra practice time, and getting other forms of exercise are just a couple of things that athletes rely on during the offseason. While these needs may differ in some ways, there is one commonality between all of them, and that is proper activity and planning. One’s dedication during the offseason is what will set them apart from others during the actual season.