Every Aug., a new class of freshmen walks into tryouts hoping to make a strong first impression. For many, the summer is a time to relax, hang out with friends, and go on trips. Others, however, spend their time on the field, in the gym, or at conditioning sessions. But does summer training really make a difference? Should incoming freshmen start preparing before high school even begins?
Softball at Berkley has grown in popularity because of the growing participation in travel softball. Although it’s not required, the majority of varsity softball athletes play travel softball in the summer and fall. In fact, 73.4 percent of Berkley softball’s varsity roster consists of travel players. The most common travel team is Berkley Burn, a travel softball association based in Berkley at Merchants Park, best known for its competitive 14u and 15u teams. Sophomore Meryl O’Donnell is a standout hitter and shortstop both on Berkley varsity softball and Berkley Burn’s 15-year-old team, which she has been loyal to for six years. O’Donnell describes her summer schedule as consisting of tournaments an hour away every other weekend, which has contributed to some of her favorite memories, including “staying in hotels with [her] friends.” In return, she attributes her varsity starting position since freshman year to playing travel softball, because she gets “double the reps [she does] in the high school season, and [she] sees better competition which helps [her] in high school.”
Similarly, Cross Country has many athletes training during the summer. The average cross-country race is three miles long and includes 25 to 50 runners. Because of the number of participants, runners have to outperform dozens of others in order to place. To prepare, Junior Matilda Mountain runs “anywhere from three to five miles” a day during the summer. Mountain explained that the importance of running during the summer is to “stay active and stay in shape for the upcoming cross country season,” which helps her later in the fall because “it builds a good base so [she] can reach [her] full potential.”
Berkley girls’ Basketball coaches also host many opportunities for players to train during the summer. These opportunities consist of overnight camps, a summer league, and AAU tryout information. Niqco Shoulders is a freshman on the varsity basketball team and shared that, during the summer, she would “go to different trainings and camps to benefit [her] game” while also practicing “on [her] own, on certain skills [she] needs to get better at.” As a result, she has noticed that she can “get better opportunities as a player to either be on a higher team level or help teammates on a skill you might know that they don’t.” Because of the impact this has had on Shoulders, she believes that students who are interested in playing basketball should “mostly focus on being able to have the basic skills of basketball down and know how to communicate with everyone.”
In addition to softball, cross country, and basketball, boys’ football requires its players to train in the summer. Junior, Michael Nigohosian, shared that coaches host “summer training for a little bit of the summer,” while also having “practices every day.” In addition to training and practices, Nigohosian also makes sure he “eats well and sleeps well.” As a result of football’s demanding schedule, Nigohosian has learned the lesson of punctuality, along with the importance of “being on time, and to put more effort into games.” He recommends incoming freshmen “eat well, sleep well, and work out” before the fall season begins.
Overall, students looking to improve their performance would benefit from practicing on their own during the summer and taking advantage of opportunities from coaches or local training facilities. For softball, this might look like trying out for travel teams. In contrast, summer cross-country training should consist of daily runs to stay active, stay in shape, and build a good base. Additionally, former Berkley basketball players or incoming freshmen interested in playing can improve by attending camps, participating in Berkley’s high school summer league, joining AAU teams, and taking time to work on weaker skills. Lastly, showing up to summer football training and daily practices during the summer, while simply eating and sleeping well, are key to improving performance, especially for new freshmen.
