The snow is falling outside but the football team is in the weight room conditioning. The runners are layered up and pushing their legs forward through the slush. The sound of the basketball dribbling across the court continues through the summertime. Baseballs fly through the falling leaves. It may be the off-season, but these are all things that athletes do to better prepare themselves for when their season is on.

It may be snowing outside, but that doesn’t stop the runners, high jumpers and long jumpers, like sophomore Maddie Hall who is a long jumper and runs sprints, from preparing for their upcoming track season.

“The main off-season for long jumping is during the summer after track season has ended. It’s warm enough to still jump and practice on form in the outdoor long jump pits,” Hall said. “There also are meets during the summer where we can compete even though track season has come to an end.”

The football team is also doing as much as it can to stay in shape during the winter months. They meet every day after school to lift weights, jog through the hallways and do drills and other different exercises to stay in shape and get ready for next year’s season.

“For the most part the team practices in pretty big groups whether it be for lifting or for speed and agility,” sophomore Bronson Kelly said. “The speed and agility is run by coach Schaefer and weights are usually run by any coach who can make it to the weight room. I participate in winter track and spring track to cross train for football.”

Junior tennis player Nick Campbell hits the indoor tennis courts during the winter months at the Genesys Athletic Center where he meets with his trainer Gary Ballard. Campbell has been playing tennis for two years and he continuously uses this training method. He has found success doing these little things.

“There is a big advantage if you train during the off-season compared to those who don’t; you won’t be rusty in your technique and form when you go into the season,” Campbell said. “And while people who don’t train off-season are starting to get into shape and into the rhythm, the people who did train during the off-season are already well prepared and ready to play other players and teams when the season starts.”

For these athletes, there really is no off-season and on-season. It’s more like a training season and a competition season. It’s an all year endeavor; there are no breaks.

Whether they’re lifting weights, working on their serve, or running through the sleet and snow, everyone still works to help their team win and improve themselves and their team. It all comes down to how hard they worked when no one is looking, to determine how well they will preform under pressure, when everyone else is watching.