Spring Sports: Preseason!

After a long semester at Blacksburg High School, we have finally made it to 2025. School has started back up and students are getting back into the groove of things. Along with the new year, spring sports have started up with their preseasons, and every sport is hoping to be the absolute best that they can be for the upcoming season. Every coach is trying to push their athletes to the next level. Every student athlete is putting in the effort and commitment required to up their game. As the last sports season of the school year, coaches and student athletes are ecstatic to finally start their seasons. 

At BHS there are six sports that are played in the Spring and there are at least 12 teams including Varsity and Junior Varsity (JV); baseball, softball, track and field, as well as boys and girls soccer, lacrosse, and tennis. A very important part of these sports are their preseasons. Preseasons are primarily started about two months before the season officially begins. It is a time to go back to the fundamentals and prepare athletes for upcoming hard practices. Sports will work on skills, strength, and conditioning especially while in the preseason. Doing a sport is already a commitment itself, but committing to a preseason too, that shows a true love and loyalty towards a team. Student athletes will wake up at 5:30 in the morning for an hour-long workout before school, or they go to a 2 hour practice at 7 in the evenings. Some don’t even get home until after 9! 

It is said that to completely master a skill (or in this case, a sport), one would have to spend 10,000 hours working on it. Showing up to practice is very important, but where an athlete can truly improve is outside of practice; at home, at the gym, at the track. Zay Noble (9th Grade) who plays baseball has been training hard to be the best athlete he can be by the time tryouts start. He not only has been going to preseason, but he also has been training at an indoor facility. Their “school coach is mellow” says Zay, but they still work hard in the weight room and on the field. Humans are naturally competitive, and by having the motivation to continue to try and be better, our athletes will be able to compete on the next level. 

Speaking of competing on the next level, Madeline DeJesus (10th Grade) who plays Varsity softball has also been training hard for her season. Softball has been getting up early and practicing at 6 in the morning. “We have been preparing for the spring season by getting time in the weightroom and aux gym for hitting,” says Madeline. She also joined indoor track, doing throws, so she can build her strength. This season softball is really trying to aim for “winning a bunch of games and being healthy for the postseason,” as Madeline stated. Student athletes over all sports have been working hard over the offseason to prepare and hopefully it will show. 

Student athletes aren’t the only ones who are hoping for a good season this year. Coaches have also been doing everything they can to prepare their athletes for the upcoming season. “Preseason is important for a number of reasons.” Coach Rupp (Girls JV Lacrosse) says. She believes that a preseason helps develop athletes. Her reasons being, “First, having conditioning before the season begins ensures athletes are ready to go when the season starts----Second, preseason allows young athletes to navigate the social dynamics of their team and build friendships----Third, preseason gives athletes who are new to the sport and opportunity to learn----Fourth and finally, college athletics have intense preseasons, and students who want to play in college need to be prepared.” The BHS Girls Lacrosse Teams have been practicing for about a month now, working on weightlifting, running, HIIT workouts, stickwork, and drills. Coach Rupp hopes that “athletes are running and lifting on their own. It’s a good idea for lacrosse players to run everyday.” Hopefully all of this preparation will help lead the BHS Girls Lacrosse team to victory. 

Spring sports all over BHS have been working hard to prepare for this Spring. Coaches have been coming up with workouts and drills to have the most capable and talented players they could have. Everyone has been doing everything they can for this season, let’s hope it pays off. 

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Written by Adeline Elder

Photography by N/A