Although it is called the offseason, most Penn-Trafford teams train all year round with outside trainers, team weightlifting and open gyms.
The majority of offseason training is meant to prepare athletes for the physical portion of the game. While teams still practice the sport, an emphasis is put on agility, strengthening and conditioning
Teams, such as football, soccer, basketball, girl’s volleyball and cheerleading train with First Step Quickness (FSQ). Tim Cortazzo, the FSQ owner and trainer, emphasized the importance of training.
“Training will help reduce the athletes’ risk for injury and help them play at a high level,” Cortazzo explained.
At FSQ, teams perform both weightlifting and agility drills in order to improve their abilities for the season.
Other players rely on club sports to help them stay active in the offseason. Ava Oslosky, a P-T sophomore, plays club soccer through Steel City FC.
“Playing club sports helps to keep my skills sharp and improve my technical ability,” Oslosky said.
A majority of competitive cheerleaders participate in club cheer, also known as Allstar cheer. Ayda Robinson, a P-T sophomore who has done both competition and sideline cheer, talked about individual offseason practice.
“Most cheerleaders take private lessons to help build and upkeep skill,” Robinson said. “This is very helpful in staying active to keep your endurance up.”
Outdoor sports teams are forced to practice indoors during the winter. Softball and baseball practice in the batting cages by the football field and girl’s lacrosse has occasional practices at All-American.
During the summer, basketball and volleyball teams reserve the main gym and auxiliary at the high school for “open gyms.” These often consist of conditioning and practicing working with teammates, so teams will be better prepared when the season comes around.
Wrestlers also endure heavy conditioning and training, mostly through weightlifting and practices in the wrestling room located in the athletic wing.
While most players attend these out-of-season training sessions, all practices are optional under PIAA rules.
“The participation of students in any sports activity that occurs outside of its defined season must be voluntary,” as stated in the PIAA’s Constitution and Bylaws.
Unlike any other P-T sport, during the football offseason, teams must complete a heat acclimatization period. No contact or full gear is allowed at these sessions, and each session consists of five consecutive days of practice.
This usually takes place during
August before the first legal practice date of fall sports. The goal of these practices is to accustom players to the heat conditions and avoid future heat illnesses.
While most off-season team trainings are included, many more teams, either individually or as a group, also train all year round. The goal of all these practices is to help strengthen the team, while also providing a greater skill level.
Annabelle Aquino, Copy Editor