Many spring sports preparing for the upcoming season are girls’ soccer, track, girls’ softball, boys’ baseball, boys’ tennis, and boys’ golf.
“For conditioning, the first thing that I think about is what I need my players to be able to do and what will help them accomplish that task,” head soccer coach Corbin Warner said.
Many people believe soccer is all about running and they’re right. However, core and agility are also important when you involve cutting and dribbling to keep the ball in possession.
“In soccer, endurance, agility, and core strength are huge, so I pick a combination of workouts that will help us work on those,” Warner said.
Warner uses his experience as a college soccer player to help him plan out challenging, but useful workouts to continue to build his athletes.
“I figure out how to challenge my athletes by continuing to build up the toughness of the workouts. I collaborate with my assistant coaches to keep varying the workouts to get a wide range of ideas to challenge you all,” Warner said.
The whole point of conditioning is to continue to challenge players. Conditioning can also be used to build up muscle groups around the entire body.
“The support I get from my assistant coaches is huge because we can each easily get stuck in one type of workout and not always vary it up,” Warner said.
Spring conditioning is a great opportunity to meet the people who are planning on trying out.
“Conditioning allows everyone to get familiar with each other before season while getting in shape at the same time,” Sophomore Keira Witkowski said.
During soccer conditioning, you do many different types of workouts to target different muscle groups.
“My favorite workouts are when we go to the weight room, [play] tag, or abs,” Witkowski said.
Another sport currently doing spring conditioning is boys and girls track.
“Off-season conditioning for sprinters is not what you think of when you hear the word ‘conditioning’ . We are not preparing them to be a cross country runner but creating muscle memory on the techniques of sprinting,” coach Chad Hoffman said.
Spring conditioning for track allows for athletes to spend more time with their friends.
“I like getting to spend time with my friends and just getting to get better and get ready for season,” Senior Avery Fellingham said.
Hanging out with friends isn’t all what track athletes look forward to. They also look forward to hard drills that they can all laugh about together.
“I like the latter drills we do because at first it’s really hard and it’s kind of funny to see people doing it,” Fellingham said.
Spring conditioning helps Fellingham improve her times for her long-distance sprints.
“I mainly run the 400 and 800, and I like the 400 best because that’s what I’m best at,” Fellingham said.
Baseball, another spring sport, does a mix of workouts to ready themselves for the season.
“For spring conditioning we usually warm up altogether but then split the players into two groups. One group stays in the commons to work on speed/agility and explosive medicine ball training. The other group is in the weight room doing a variety of strength exercises. After about thirty minutes the two groups switch and do the other workout,” Assistant Baseball Coach Reed Howard said.
Boys baseball won State last year, so they have many goals they want to accomplish to compete for another state title.
“Our goal as a program is always to compete for a state championship. We have other team goals that we want to achieve along the way: Sunflower League Championship, beat the other Olathe teams, et cetera,” Howard said.
To help achieve these goals, the baseball team tries to focus on what they can control.
“We try to maintain a focus on getting better each day. We talk a lot about controlling what we can control, which is our attitude, effort, and preparation. We believe that if we do a great job with the things we can control and get better every day that the results will take care of themselves,” Reed said.
When the players focus on getting better every day at conditioning, it allows them to get used to each other and the new dynamic of the team.
“It’s just time to get to know the team and see how we’re going to be this year,” Senior Beau Beverman said.
Spring conditioning also allows players to get excited about the upcoming season.
“[I’m excited about the] new coach so just playing with him, and then a bunch of new teammates,” Beverman said.
When it’s baseball season, it is also softball season. Softball is also doing spring conditioning.
“So many sprints, burpees, and squats,” Sophomore, catcher, 1st baseman, and third baseman, Grabby Frantz said.
Even with all the sprints and burpees, Frantz looks forward to the fun moments that will be created in the upcoming season.
“I’m really looking forward to team dinners and pink night,” Frantz said.
During spring conditioning, softball does more than sprints and burpees.
“We do different circuits with different exercises and core or we do sprints,” Sophomore catcher Ashtyn Hamner.
Hamner is also looking forward to the upcoming season, but for different reasons.
“I’m very excited to get back to playing with girls and to see how we will do this season,” Hamner said.
Boys tennis is also about to start their season and they are already setting some big goals for the future.
“We want to repeat as Olathe City Champs. Also, I believe that we as a team are capable of finishing in the top 4 at the Sunflower League Tournament,” Coach Andrew Davids said.
Having season goals are just as important as postseason goals. It allows you to have something to work towards after the regular season.
“My goal for the postseason is always to make the State Tournament. This year, I want to get multiple entries qualified for State. Depending on our regional assignment, I believe we have the opportunity to qualify 3 or more players for State,” Davids said.
With Davids making all the goals, it’s up to the players to complete them, but they also make sure that their goals don’t overshadow the important parts of sports.
“Having fun and just playing with my friends,” Sophomore Nolan Fosha said.
Spring season also means boys’ golf season. Just like tennis; boys’ golf doesn’t do much for spring conditioning.
“We do not have any organized spring conditioning leading up to the season. Our players are highly encouraged to work on their games individually or with swing coaches leading up to the season,” Coach Andrew Meile said.
With the players getting practice swings in, Meile makes important goals for the season.
“We have two main process-oriented goals for the season. Our main goal is to improve each day. We also want to grow into a close group that is consistently encouraging each other and making each other better,” Meile said.
With these goals during the season, they also have one big goal they want to work towards.
“Our result-based goal for the season is to qualify for the state tournament as a team,” Meile said.
Since boys’ golf doesn’t do much for spring conditioning they have to practice and get ready for the season on their own.
“I like to just go to the course whenever I can and if I can’t practice at home whether it’s like swing throughs or putting at home on my putting green,” Junior Grayson Kelso said.
With the anticipation of the season coming up, Kelso looks forward to a couple of things.
“[I’m looking forward to] just playing with new people and hopefully doing great in some tournaments,” Kelso said.
