Student athletes at Seneca Valley spend hours in the gym training and preparing for their winter sports season.

A few student athletes agreed to share their personal routine they follow during the summer and fall. The offseason is the most important time for every athlete because it is the time to get better without worrying about team practice or games.

A senior on the Seneca Valley girls’ basketball team, Kaydence Kilhof, reported spending seven days a week in the gym throughout her summer and fall. She is most dedicated to her sport and goes above and beyond to train. Kilhof wastes no time in her offseason and stressed, “My offseason is not something to take advantage of because it is the time for improvement.”

Basketball is a popular winter sport that requires time and dedication, but it’s not the only winter sport that requires offseason work. Like basketball, diving is a growing sport that student athletes put hours into during the offseason.

Senior Olivia Dils says she spends two to three days a week during the offseason training for diving. When she is not in the pool, you can find her working out in the gym. She practices at Westminster during the summer and fall which is where most of her improvement takes place. “My Westminster coach has helped me the most when it comes to mental blocks and getting through the most challenging parts of diving,” Dils reported.

These student athletes both accredited their offseason to their biggest improvements and stressed that if you love something enough, you will put in as much time necessary to succeed. The winter sports season begins at the end of November.