Getting ready for the field

Everybody hears about the games or how teams are doing throughout the season. But how do athletes prepare before meets or games? The WSS sought to find out.

Neil Davis, assistant boys track and field coach, explains that the coaching staff doesn’t require a specific diet for athletes, but that choosing what to eat before meets is extremely important for a good performance. “Track meets are long,” Davis said. “They are about four hours long, so [athletes] do have to deal with diet by having food, but not too much of it before track meets.”

Hydration is also an issue that he tackles a lot with athletes. “[The coaching staff] really tell athletes that they have to hydrate the night before and during the day before competition,” Davis said. “Once you get to the competition is too late if you haven’t already hydrated.”

Gabby Skopec ’17, track and field athlete, also comments over her preparation before meets and races. “I don’t really have a specific diet that I follow, but I try to eat generally healthy for the most part. [However] everything in moderation, because you don’t want to be too restrictive in your eating.” As for her favorite snack, she prefers to eat pretzels. In addition to food traditions, the girls track team has some unique traditions once the competition begins. “If we are on a relay, then everyone will kiss the baton and the anchor of the baton will lick it.”

As for tennis athletes, Brianna Buckley ’20, shares that her diet is not something restrictive and she simply takes joy in what she eats.

As for getting ready mentally, Buckley and her teammates have a common gesture to reward themselves after a hard day of practice. “At the end of practice we all huddle together and talk about how the day went, and then we put our hands in,” she says demonstrating with her hands raised to the air.