The off-season is important for student athletes who want to improve in their high school sports career moving forward. In order to move to the next level for their sport, the offseason is influential for the student-athlete. Athletes focus on three things: working out, nutrition and rest.

Working out is necessary. Naveer Kaile is a sophomore football player who conditions his body every offseason for his sport. Conditioning in the off-season such as running or sprinting when you are tired will help the athlete improve for the following season.

“You get big from lifting, but it’s really just how you do it. You can improve how you play; strength is a big key, especially in sports like football and basketball,” Kaile said.

Weight lifting is substantial to a high school student’s career; however high school students can also really hurt themselves if they do a certain lift wrong. Take measures such as asking a professional,such as a coach or a weight lifting teacher, for help on doing a lift correctly and with the right weight.

Taking the proper nutrition while you are exercising is a must. Nutrition is what fuels and gives energy to student-athletes to either gain weight, lose weight or get stronger.

“It goes hand in hand with the actual part of weightlifting and training. You can’t make gains. You can’t build muscle, you can’t become faster if you’re eating wrong,” Kaile said.

Nutrition plays another important role in growing in a sport. It makes the student-athlete physically and mentally ready before games and practice. It will help many athletes looking to improve take it to the next level. Look at the nutrition facts on the back of boxed/wrapped foods to look for the calories, nutrients and for low sugar. Eating or drinking products that have whey protein in it is also a big help.

Beyond nutrition, taking the proper amount of rest for a sport is a necessity. Student-athletes need to take the proper amount of rest which is about 8-10 hours of sleep every night. Resting heals the body and relaxes the mind.

“Rest is important because then your body has a chance to heal. You can recover from injuries and be at your best game. Rest can give you a chance to clear your mind and visualize what you need to do,” sophomore volleyball player Katelyn Eichart said.

Rest seals the deal when it comes to offseason training. The body needs to recuperate to be ready for the next training period. Setting a schedule and following the schedule is a must when it comes to student-athletes training, sleep and nutrition.

High school athletes spend about 21 hours a week practicing during the regular season. In order to take their sport to the next level, they have to take time out of their off-season to improve.