Always In Season: Early Training Pays off for Warrior Spring Athletes
No Pain, No Gain: Senior football standout Wesley Horton knows full well the principle of preparing for the coming season months in advance. He pumps iron in the Warrior weight room to await his next gridiron battle.
It’s never too early to get a headstart. That’s why several of the spring sports teams at North Atlanta are already started conditioning for the upcoming season. A variety of winter and spring teams are currently holding team workouts, far in advance of the actual tryout date. The basketball, lacrosse, baseball teams have decided to start practices already in both the morning and afternoon.
Off-season practice brings a new element to sports at North Atlanta. It helps put the Warriors ahead of schedule, and better prepares athletes for their upcoming season, in comparison to starting fresh from day one. Junior lacrosse player Conor Gannon thinks training in the spring is key for the success of the team. “Training hard in the fall gives you an early head start for competition in the spring, and I think it helps our chances of winning more games,” said Gannon.
The Warriors basketball team has been holding conditioning sessions for those interested in its varsity, jv, and freshman squads every week. Dozens of team-hopefuls show up multiple times a week either for drills, shootarounds, or scrimmages. However, with tryouts coming soon, the daily workout sessions are about to end, meaning it’s all on the players now to make the squad. “Competition for a spot on the team at our school is fierce, so working on my game before tryouts is important, said junior Nevin Sethi.
Perhaps the biggest reason the Warriors have to put in the early time is the most obvious one: Region 7 6A region is notoriously one of the most sports-competitive regions in the state. And if athletes at powerhouse athletic programs like Alpharetta, Johns Creek, Cambridge and Chattahoochee, Pope are putting the time in, the Warriors will need to do the same. “Let’s face it, this region is the big time,” said basketball coach Kerry Sardin. “And if we want to climb and compete, we have to put in just as much time.”
Fall colors are all around and even colder temperatures. And while some might not see the connection between this season and ones to follow, real athletes always do. For these dedicated Warriors, the season never ends.
