Soccer volunteer workouts began before the season started. These workouts helped players increase stamina, physical agility and skills for the upcoming season.
“We run and work on speed, plyometrics and agility,” sophomore Olivia Kraft said.
Voluntary workouts changed based on the athlete’s injuries, fitness and ability to perform physical activities. Workouts included arms, plyometrics, agility, running and leg workouts. Plyometrics are rapid and explosive movements such as jumping and bouncing.
“We run, but if you are hurt or can’t do that exercise, you do abs, pushups or planks,” sophomore Brynli Marr said.
Sophomore Kyleigh Wolken attended all the voluntary workouts but did not enjoy them.
“It helps me run faster, but I don’t like running,” Wolken said.
Kraft also did not enjoy conditioning for soccer. She found conditioning and workouts for sports varied in difficulty and accessibility. Only four students routinely attend the voluntary workouts after school.
“It hurts, and it’s tiring,” Kraft said. “In tennis, we don’t do conditioning.”
The voluntary workouts focused on specific soccer skills and encouraged strength and speed. Marr found the voluntary workouts more targeted at sport-specific skills, unlike other sports she plays.
“We target the things that we do in our sport,” Marr said. “Volleyball conditioning is more broad than soccer.”
