There’s still plenty of time before spring sports officially begin, but that hasn’t stopped athletes from getting a head start on their off-season training. At BHS, there are many winter sports, including boys’ and girls’ basketball, boys’ and girls’ wrestling, and boys’ swim. But what about the spring athletes? Since they’re used to competing in warmer weather, what do they do during their off-season while it’s still cold outside?
Many spring athletes stay active long before the season starts. Baseball players often focus on strength training, hitting drills, and indoor throwing. Soccer players spend time conditioning and improving endurance, Lacrosse players work on stick skills, and Tennis players focus on coordination and improving their swings.
As the winter season has just begun, one question becomes clear: What do spring athletes do during the winter?
Boys Baseball
The Bears baseball team is coming off a heartbreaking district semifinals loss to Royal Oak last year. With that in mind, their off-season training is key to reaching their goal of winning a district title. Senior Noah Lamberson says, “Our off-season training is super important as we try to reach our goal to win districts. We do all sorts of things in the winter to be ready for the start of the season.” The off-season training for the Bears baseball includes indoor hitting at Train Station, outside field work as much as possible while it’s still nice outside, and weight training at the Bears’ weight room. “We hit twice a week, on Tuesdays, Daniel Fields helps us out, which is super cool and helpful. We also hit on our own on Thursdays. We also try to get to the weight room as much as possible during the week,” says Lambertson. Fields was drafted by the Detroit Tigers in 2009, where he played one game with them in 2015. While some sports are played inside, baseball is played outside, making it difficult to practice during the winter. “Since we play outside, it makes things a lot harder,” says Lambertson, “We try and make the most of it as we hit inside and do as much as possible, but it is definitely a disadvantage.” As the weather gets colder, it makes it even harder to stay motivated. “We have one goal on our mind: To win districts. With that, this off-season keeps us motivated as we try and get some hardware,” says Lambertson. With Fields’ expertise and the goal of winning the district, off-season training is super beneficial and helpful as Lambertson and the Bears get ready for the season opener.
Girls Soccer
The girls’ soccer team won their district last year, and with the banner now hanging, they’re motivated to repeat. Although it won’t come easy, their off-season training proves they’re focused on going back-to-back, Senior Katelin Sills says, “I’m excited for this upcoming spring season because we had a lot of success last year winning the district but I want to go further, our team will look a lot different than last year but I think we will still be skilled and strong.” Just like baseball, the soccer team does a lot to prepare for their upcoming season. “For off-season training, we start morning conditionings the week after Thanksgiving break on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 6 a.m. before school,” says Sills. “Then, we are also a part of a winter league called Oakland yard where the captains lead, and we split the team into Berkley A and B (maybe C if we have enough people) and scrimmage against other schools.”
It’s hard to stay motivated, especially during winter in Michigan, but the time put in during the off-season is crucial, “I stay motivated during the off-season because I really love this sport, I want to see this team succeed and as a senior I just want the best senior season as possible and I know that means putting in work in the off-season,” says Sills. Even with that motivation, obstacles are unavoidable during the colder months, “The biggest challenges of training in the winter are definitely balancing other high school sports during winter sports, for example, I have basketball in the winter and training for soccer as it’s a spring sport comes with challenges,” says Sills. “Because of the weather, we make use of gyms and the indoor Oakland yard field, but it’s not as effective as training at Hurley, which we can’t do because of snow and cold weather,” says Sills.
Despite those challenges, Sills is focused on leadership, development, and preparation beyond just conditioning, “In the off-season I am hoping to create a good atmosphere for soccer and really make us like a family,” says Sills, “I want people to enjoy and bond over the sport I love and I want people to have fun in the off-season even if it’s a lot of work.” With a strong focus on leadership, development, and team chemistry, Sills and the girls’ soccer team are determined to build on last year’s success and make this season one to remember.
Boys Lacrosse
The boys lacrosse team is a combination of Berkley and Royal Oak players, because there is a fear of not having enough players for Berkley to have their own team. They just fell just short of districts last year. With that in mind, their off-season training is key to getting back and trying to get in a place to win some hardware. The off-season training for lacrosse includes practices on the weekends and tournaments to get ready for the season, Junior Tanner Gibson says, “Our team schedule for the off-season includes practice on Sundays and tournaments every three weeks.” Just like baseball and soccer, lacrosse is played outside, so training in the winter comes with challenges, “The cold is definitely a huge challenge as well as people doing other winter sports,” says Gibson, “We stay motivated because we have a goal to make regionals every year and this pushes everyone to improve and play the best that they can.”
Their off-season training is led by a different coach who isn’t involved with the high school team because it’s against the rules for coaches to coach during the off-season. As there is only one specific day for the lacrosse team to practice, they have to figure out ways to improve on their own time, “I go to the field by myself and do some self-workouts,” says Gibson. That individual preparation is paying off, as Gibson shares, “I’m very excited for the upcoming season, because I’m now on the starting attack line, also, I am able to play with all of my senior friends for one last season.” With their determination and commitment to improvement, the boys’ lacrosse team hopes their off-season efforts will translate into success when the season begins.
Girls Tennis
The varsity girls tennis team qualified for the MHSAA state finals for the fourth consecutive year last season, and their off-season training will be crucial as they push to make it five in a row. Senior Harriet Dunckle says, “During our off-season all the girls usually attend private and group lessons at a few different racket clubs. I train at Birmingham Racket Club about three to four times a week.” That motivation is what drives their preparation, and beyond physical training, staying mentally focused is just as important during the off-season. “I stay motivated during the off-season by really wanting to do well in my final year playing for Berkley and wanting to be a strong player for the team,” says Dunckel. “It is a lot of fun when I get together to hit with other girls from the team, and that is very motivating. Our coach, Mr. Waldman, also stays in touch with us throughout the off-season to help us stay motivated and give us any opportunities to attend off-season matches that he has.”
Tennis is mostly played outside as well, so there are challenges that come with preparation for the season. “The biggest challenge of training in the winter is finding practices that work timing-wise,” says Dunckel. “A lot of group classes that are offered start very shortly after school gets out, and it can be hard to get there on time.” Although winter training comes with challenges, Dunckel remains optimistic, as her excitement for returning to the court in her final season outweighs the obstacles. “I am very excited for this upcoming spring season because it is my last year playing high school tennis, and it will be a lot of fun,” says Dunckel. “I did not get to play the whole season last year due to an injury, so I am excited to get back to it. I am hoping to become a stronger player by training during this off-season and come back very prepared to do well during the 2026 season.” With all their hard work, practice, and dedication during the off-season, the varsity girls’ tennis team is ready to get back on the court, play their best, and try to qualify for the state finals for the fifth year in a row.
Whether it’s 6 a.m. conditioning, indoor hitting sessions, self-led workouts, or private lessons, Berkley’s spring athletes know that success in season starts long before the first game. Their dedication during the winter shows just how motivated they are to push past last year’s results and make this upcoming season their best one yet.
