During the closing of fall sports toward the playoffs, other student-athletes awaiting their time in the sun for winter sports are preparing for their season as they speak. Looking into this, how are these sports prepared, and how is that going to affect their season?

Hockey is preparing for the upcoming season by attending practices as a team. This isn’t just hockey; however, many winter sports are doing a similar thing, such as basketball with open gyms or bowling hitting the lanes a few times a week.

“I’ve been going to the team skates every Tuesday; I feel they are improving my skills and honing me for this upcoming season,” junior Keagen McDonald said.

“I’ve been hitting the lanes 2-3 times a week with some teammates just to get back into the swing of things and relight the bowling spirit,” senior bowler Nathan Doyle said.

Winter athletes are doing their part on their own to be as prepared as they can.

“I work on stickhandling in my house; I feel it helps me focus on a particular skill rather than a group of them going to a team practice,” sophomore Nathan Sobichowski said.

There are some issues with the route some of these teams have taken.

“I would spend 4-5 hours a day at the lanes if I were allowed to; I just think I don’t get enough practice,” Doyle said.

“I like the competitiveness of the Tuesday practices, but I’m not sure how much skill I’m developing; it seems slow and unorganized,” McDonald said.

Winter athletes have taken their time to think about what they wish they could do to be more prepared if they had more time.

“I would spend more time at the lanes and try to go there way more often,” Doyle said.

“I would try to organize more skill-based practices to get us more prepared for the season,” Sobichowski said.

One obstacle athletes have been facing while trying to be prepared for their seasons is other sports.

“I put as much time into wrestling as I can by lifting weights and staying in shape, but I can’t seem to find time to get to the mat because of football,” senior wrestler Thomas Shemwell said.

Chelsea High School winter sports athletes are ready and sharp for the season. These competitors will be ready for the challenges ahead.

“To be honest, I think the season has already begun,” McDonald said.