2008 Woodie Awards
Out of season athletes enjoy more free time
Neil Benjamin
Issue date: 2/15/08 Section: Sports
Originally published: 2/14/08 at 4:37 PM EST
Last update: 2/14/08 at 4:39 PM EST
The sound of the repetitive alarm buzzing at 6 a.m. means it is time to get up.
After preparing for the day ahead, it is time to get to the gym and begin the grind with a team workout that mainly consists of lifting weights.
Next comes breakfast, followed by a day full of classes and studying. By the time the 7 p.m. practice starts, many on the team are just plain tired.
This is a typical day of a softball player during the regular season. Juggling school, work and sports is a full time job. Just ask senior first basemen Andrea Stupp and she will tell you all about her days. They are long and tiring, but she says it is completely worth it.
When the season ends, players are given something that they had very little of while playing - free time.
That means athletes can spend time doing things they enjoy without having to worry about going to practice everyday.
When Stupp reaches the off-season she tries to enjoy it as much as possible. She will relax with her friends, work out and help improve team chemistry. Occasionally the team will get together and go around town getting to know each other. This is a great way for new players to get introduced to the way things are done.
"The best thing about the off-season is it gives you a chance to focus on yourself as an individual, and on the team as a whole," she said. "We start to learn things like time management which really helps when the season starts."
The team also does a lot of fundraising for local charities. Recently, they were out raising money and awareness about breast cancer. It is things like this that make the team come together, Stupp said.
During the semester, the team holds two study halls a week. This is a time where players get together and do homework, get help on things they don't understand and become closer with teammates. While it is only mandatory for some players, Stupp said the whole team usually shows up. Keeping up with schoolwork is an essential part of being on a team, so this is one way the players can keep up with everything.
After preparing for the day ahead, it is time to get to the gym and begin the grind with a team workout that mainly consists of lifting weights.
Next comes breakfast, followed by a day full of classes and studying. By the time the 7 p.m. practice starts, many on the team are just plain tired.
This is a typical day of a softball player during the regular season. Juggling school, work and sports is a full time job. Just ask senior first basemen Andrea Stupp and she will tell you all about her days. They are long and tiring, but she says it is completely worth it.
When the season ends, players are given something that they had very little of while playing - free time.
That means athletes can spend time doing things they enjoy without having to worry about going to practice everyday.
When Stupp reaches the off-season she tries to enjoy it as much as possible. She will relax with her friends, work out and help improve team chemistry. Occasionally the team will get together and go around town getting to know each other. This is a great way for new players to get introduced to the way things are done.
"The best thing about the off-season is it gives you a chance to focus on yourself as an individual, and on the team as a whole," she said. "We start to learn things like time management which really helps when the season starts."
The team also does a lot of fundraising for local charities. Recently, they were out raising money and awareness about breast cancer. It is things like this that make the team come together, Stupp said.
During the semester, the team holds two study halls a week. This is a time where players get together and do homework, get help on things they don't understand and become closer with teammates. While it is only mandatory for some players, Stupp said the whole team usually shows up. Keeping up with schoolwork is an essential part of being on a team, so this is one way the players can keep up with everything.
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