Off-season, but not off duty

The girls’ soccer team packs in early practice

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Claire Grebner

Girls’ soccer team breaking a sweat at morning workouts.

The soccer field is covered with snow, but that doesn’t mean that the state champion Carmel Girls’ Soccer team isn’t having practice. It’s just when they are having practice that’s a little out of the ordinary.

Off-season workouts keep a team active, in shape and preparing for the upcoming season. Girls soccer off-season workouts start at 6 a.m. twice a week.

Some players with a longer morning commute have to set the alarm even earlier. Junior Angie Salvi lives in Barrington and is on the road before most students wake up.

“I have to leave my house by 5:20,” Salvi said.

The players say that they try to get to bed early before a practice, but the stressful life of a student can prevent that from happening. They struggle with balancing their sleep, academics, and sports.

“Last night I had so much homework I didn’t go to bed until 3 a.m.” Senior Tina O’Block said.

Like the other players on the team, O’Block sacrifices much of her free time and devotes it to the team and goes to every workout, saying it’s a small price to pay for a successful season.

And these girls don’t take it easy. Workouts include weight-lifting, scrimmaging, core strengthening, and plyometrics. That sort of grueling activity leaves the players exhausted, which can make it hard to get through an entire school day. “At the end you wear off,” Salvi said.

After practice, players only get 30 minutes to get ready for the rest of the day and that time doesn’t include a whole lot of primping. After they get over the initial shock that they can’t take showers, most players have a good attitude.

“Don’t care what you look like,” junior Abbey Potter said. “Everyone is beautiful.”

The girls want to bring home another championship and think that their hard work will pay off next year.

“We learn how to play together,” Salvi said.”We get stronger as the year goes on.”