An athletes struggle in staying fit over break
Art by Raha Ghoroghchian
Winter athletes face so many hardships from weather to air quality, however winter break may be the worst one of all. For most winter sports, winter break falls right in the middle of their season. When athletes get back, some of their most important (league and CIF) games commence.
However they can not let winter break stop them. So many athletes will cross train, utilizing indoor gyms that are not dependent upon weather conditions. Many athletes this season also had to face the consequences of an extra week without practice due to the LA fires. These fires affected air quality so much that outdoor sports couldn’t be practiced and all SMMUSD outdoor activities were cancelled. Indoor gyms that some athletes use to exercise were filled with New Year’s resolution makers and people affected by the fires who were utilizing free amenities offered by gyms in these times of need. Gaia Fulchimure (’28) explained how detrimental breaks can be for athletes.
“It’s really hard to come back to a sport after taking two whole weeks off and then being expected to have the exact same conditioning and fitness as you did before break. On top of that we had an extra week off where we couldn’t exercise because of the fires,” Fulchimure said.
Although there are preventative measures athletes can take from getting out of shape, nothing compares to having routine practices with your coach multiple times a week. This is why numerous Samo sports have practice during these two-week long breaks. Girls’ and boys’ soccer, wrestling and basketball, as well as girls’ water polo, all had practices over winter break.
Art by Raha Ghoroghchian
Winter break is another hurdle athletes face while competing, and continuing to train is the best way to prepare for an athlete to return to being in season and competing at the best level they can.