15 SPORTS
WARMING UP FOR
WINTER SPORTS
As Miami Palmetto Senior High’s students settle into their classes and fall comes to a close, the countdown for the start of the winter sports season begins. Sports like wrestling, basketball and soccer require diligent students with peak physical capabilities and experience. Each sport varies tremendously, and therefore requires distinct training methods in preparation for tryouts. “We lift weights. We do a lot of strength training. We do preseason wrestling, which is where we travel around the country to wrestle. We went to North Carolina and Virginia,” Palmetto wrestling coach Anthony Fadelle said. To prepare for this sport, STACK Fitness, a sports blog, recommends running to increase aerobic and speed endurance, lifting weights to increase muscle endurance and capacity, and to use workouts that have the explosive strength and power a wrestler uses on their opponent. They also advise consuming an adequate amount of calories to fuel your body and protein to allow protein synthesis. This process builds body muscles, vital to the strength required for wrestling. However, remain wary of decreasing muscle mass and strength when trying to lose weight for a lower weight class; aim to lose fat and preserve muscle. For students interested in joining the
Mobolade Presley Staff Writer
m.presley.thepanther@gmail.com DESIGN BY JULIA STRASIUS PHOTOS BY JULIA STRASIUS
team, paperwork should be turned in to the Athletics Director, Mr. Batten, by Nov. 7 and tryouts will be held on Nov. 12 in the wrestling room. With these deadlines approaching, every coach employs a different method of training and preparing their players. While wrestlers are scored individually, basketball players operate as a team with one total score. “I’ve been holding conditioning [at Palmetto] every Saturday for the past two months, so weaker players can strengthen their skills…remember not to overwork yourself. Get enough sleep and let your muscles rest,” Palmetto basketball coach Donnie Martin said. While exercising the entire body and increasing full body strength holds importance, also take special care to train and to maximize mobility of your feet thoroughly, according to USA Basketball, a non-profit organization that governs basketball in America. Train your core muscles as well, because it is the center of your body’s movement and train unilaterally, meaning one side of your body at a time, at least once a week. For girls, paperwork should be turned in by Thursday, Oct. 24, and girls’ basketball tryouts are held on Oct. 28 in the gym. They play their first game on Tuesday, Nov. 19. For boys, paperwork should be turned in by Thursday, Oct. 31 and boys’ basketball tryouts are Nov. 4 in the gym. Their first game takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 26. “Make sure to get all the paperwork aspect completed in advance...do prior cardio fitness training as soccer is a sport which requires constant movement, staying away from high-sugar foods will reduce the chance of a crash in energy, so
I would stay away from these…” Palmetto soccer coach Patrick Larco said. “I would also stay away from any extreme activities without a proper warm up.” SportsRec, a fitness blog, advises getting comfortable practicing alone by passing with a wall, doing exercises like sprints as well as long distance running and building a fitness routine to practice various skills. Take advantage of not having any specific drills you have to follow and use that flexibility to build your personal weaknesses. The last day to turn in paperwork for both teams is Thursday, Oct. 17. Girls can try out Oct. 21-25 on the field with their first game on Tuesday, Nov. 7. Boys can try out on Oct. 21 on the field with their first game on Wednesday, Nov. 13. It would not make sense for an athlete to train without knowing what their coach is looking for. As the winter sports season begins, eager athletes await tryouts. When playing basketball, soccer or wrestling, remember to put in your best effort and play hard.
