The Transition into the Winter Season By: Conrad Paintin

As the winter season creeps in students get ready for finals and transitioning into their second semester. As classes change and winter sports pick up, it begs the question, how do students prepare? Winter athletes start prepping their mind and body for athletics in the cold. UW Health has said that an exercise program before the season is greatly beneficial. 

Winter sports are mostly indoors; however, preparations are still needed to have a good season. Not only is performing in the cold physically tasking but mentally tasking as well. Abigail Millman, a sophomore track star at Hillgrove, says, “Um, the cold definitely, like it makes it harder to like, partake in the sport, cause it's like it's cold, you don't wanna go outside and like run. So it definitely, like, makes it more difficult but I mean, like, yeah, it's not bad.” Winter is definitely a cruel season, but not letting it get you down is very important, and it shows mental fortitude. On the flip side of things, some people love the cold and find it to be a fun experience to practice and to play in the snowy weather. Jonah Corbitt, a sophomore swimmer at Hillgrove “I love it. I mean, I love I love swim. It's it's it's my life. And, you know, I love the cold, too. It's really fun when we go to meets and it might be snowing outside. It doesn't happen a lot here in Georgia, but if we ever go out of state and, you know, we'll go out there in our suits and we'll swim in the snow. That's always a a good team bonding thing," What are the impacts that such high involvement has on student-athletes? Students at Hillgrove seem to have this balance figured out. Jonah Corbitt, a sophomore swimmer at Hillgrove, says, “Uh, definitely negatively impacted because after practice, all I wanna do is go to bed and not do anything, because that motivation has been used up throughout the day, but, you know, you gotta do things even when you when you don't have the motivation because that's just the aspect of discipline and determination throughout your life." Doing what must be done to maintain grades is very responsible and respectable. Time is very precious when you’re so heavily involved in a sport and finding time for schoolwork is something that requires deliberation and skillful time management. "Um, my grades are still pretty good. As long as you do your work, um, during school, you'll be fine, but if you procrastinate and do it after your sporting events, it'll mess up your grades. ", says Hannah Humphries, a Hillgrove High school basketball player. Preseason is a particularly crucial time for winter athletes, and it builds the skills necessary for their success both on the field and in school.