While School is Out, Sports Still Rule
NEIRAD enilno edition
While the ring of the final bell on the last day of school may mean time for relaxation and vacation for some, for others the beginning of the summer signifies the beginning of long summer of training for the next sports season.
For athletes of all grades and all sports, the summer time is a good chance to get stronger, faster, and more skilled. The summer time gives the student athletes the chance to compete on more competitive sports teams with elite players from throughout the area. Also, as opposed to the normal season, the summer sports season is usually the time when the student athletes will be beginning their recruiting process and hope to impress the scouts.
“The summer is a good time to work on impressing college scouts as well as get ready for the up and coming season” junior lacrosse player Emily Tropsa said.
The Blue Wave athletes head off to all sorts of summer programs. The Boys Varsity hockey team will compete in a relaxed summer hockey league, while the football team is out on the turf for summer training and also at 7 vs. 7 camps. The DHS football and Hockey team can be found in the weight room right at DHS. Here athletes are coached by trainer and teacher Mr. DeMaio, who makes it his goal to ensure these kids are ready for next year. He puts together different workouts and different rotations to help benefit all of the teams.
“The summer league that we play in is a good time to keep us out on the ice and practice our dangles for the upcoming year” junior and future hockey captain Hank Glick said.
Members of the Blue Wave girls and boys lacrosse teams often play on elite teams throughout the area such as the Connecticut Chargers or attend top camps such as Nike’s Blue Chip Top 250. “The summer camps are filled with the best players in the country, so it’s really competitive but they are a great experience” Tropsa said. The field hockey team is similar, with many of the members of the team heading to either team or individual camps. Many of the field hockey girls also play for an elite team, Fairfield Country United Field Hockey Club.
For the boys and girls track team the summer can be a dangerous time or a time for much improvement. During the summer the boys and girls are often put on their own running schedules and need to be on their own when doing their running. If the boys and girls stick to their routines they can see a lot of improvement in their times and be ready for the next season. “The summer is a great time to improve your endurance and speed. I personally have seen my times improve over each summer I have trained” senior track Captain John Conley said. However, if they get caught up in the nice summer weather and spend more time on the beach then they do practicing their running, they will find themselves far behind the competition come the cross country season in the fall.
When it comes to how many DHS students participate in summer sports programs, it is amazing to note that almost every serious student athlete participates in some type of summer athletics. “I wouldn’t even be able to guess the number of students that participate in summer athletics” Mr. Keleher said. Keleher went onto explain, “The most interesting thing for me is to watch the growth of summer athletics over the years”. Keleher specifically mentioned field hockey, soccer, and baseball. “In the past there have not been many summer programs for field hockey, soccer and baseball, but over the last few years it has exploded.” Mr. Keleher also explained how impressed he was with the competition of the sports. These sports teams are not just for fun and to keep up the skills in the offseason, but these kids are playing to win.
The start of summer for some is the beginning of the easiest three months of the year. However, for most athletes the summer is the most important three months of the year. Whether the athlete’s goal is to be noticed by the top colleges in the country, or the athlete is just working hard to make that varsity team come next year, the summer can be the most important time of the year for these athletes. It is a time where they don’t need to be worrying about balancing their school work with their athletics, but it is a time where they can focus on the sport they love.
