For some WCHS student-athletes, the break between sports seasons isn’t for resting, but for training. The time during offseasons allows athletes to get ready for their next sport, an opportunity many athletes take advantage of. 

Senior Anjali Iyer participates in cross country during the fall,  indoor track in the winter and outdoor track in spring. Each season requires different skill sets, which Iyer takes into consideration creating her workout schedule.

“In between seasons, I have a hard day and an easy day,” Iyer said. “On an easy day, I try to get mileage by running 2-4 miles at a slow pace. On hard days, I get workouts in.”

For most athletes, the time between seasons is used for building up endurance and strength for the next sport. This can range from workouts for speed to drills for skill. Some athletes participate in other sports to stay fit for their main one, and the offseason is spent like the regular season. 

“Between seasons, I workout on my own time and run as much as I can to stay in shape,” sophomore Nargol Raissi said. “Soccer is my main sport so I participate in track to get fit and help increase my strength for soccer.” 

The in-between part of sports seasons often comes with challenges due to the fact that there is no coaching available. However, this independence allows athletes to get creative with their workouts and personalize them to fit their needs. 

“It’s hard coming up with workouts and what to run every day,” Iyer said. “However, even though I have no coaching, I don’t make it easier for myself. If I plan a workout, I go through with it 100 percent.”

Some students participate in year-round sports, eliminating the time between seasons. This allows for more training and greater developed skills. 

Sophomore Sydney Norris is on the WCHS Swim and Dive team as well as the Montgomery Dive Club (MDC), which practices year-round with only a one month break during the summer. 

“Training for WCHS is mostly water practice, and we play music and it’s a lot of fun, while training for my national team is a bit more intense and we do a lot more of pushing each other and working to gain new dives,” Norris said.

On MDC, most of the workouts consist of leg and ab workouts for strength, practicing flips on the trampoline and diving in the water. While the experience is different from the WCHS team,  Norris enjoys both anyway. 

“I really enjoy both teams though because the different experiences are what keep bringing me back to them, with a common factor of loving the sport itself,” Norris said. “I don’t mind the excessive training because I like the sport a lot, but there’s not a lot of free time.” 

While there are both downsides and upsides to having time between seasons, each athlete has a different preference as to what works best for them and what pushes them to be their best. 

“There are different drills for each sport and each sport may focus on a specific part of a player’s body and skill,” Raissi said. “Each practice is different to fit the team and what benefits that sport specifically.”