Offseason sports prepare for competitions

Even though it's the fall sports season, spring and winter sports teams have recently began off-season workouts and games in preparation of their respective seasons.

These offseason sports are baseball, basketball, cross country, softball and track and field.

Renee Cook, a junior outfielder on the softball team said during the off season the teams have been training physically and mentally in the offseason, preparing for fierce competition during the season.

"The offseason is the time when all the athletes are pushed to the maximum degree in order to be prepared for what the season is going to bring," she said.

Coaches are preparing for the sport season with various techniques, training, and conditioning.

Players also mention off season training is the most important phase of any sport, especially when it comes to the conditioning of the players. They also add that conditioning helps the athletes to recover the basic fundamentals as well as preparing physically and mentally.

Third baseman Lindsay Adams said the sotball team gets the opportunity to observe the opponents it will face while playing preseason fall games for three weekends in the month of September.

"The offseason prepares my teammates and I to build confidence from our previous success in past seasons," she said.

Adams said the official practices for the offseason sports don't start until after Christmas break and in February, if the weather will allow it for the outdoor sports.

"I think we have become stronger as a team and have gained experience from our success in the last season," she said.

Sophomore Francesca Carter said the most anticipated offseason sports are women's and men's basketball and the women's and men's track and field.

"It is always nice to see that track and field is an anticipated sport to return since I am on the track team," she said.