Evan Thue –
University of Wisconsin-Stout students are probably feeling one big thing, a summer hangover. It’s hard getting back into the swing of studying and doing homework. Some athletes are in the same mindset when trying to get back into sports mode as the leaves turn and fall starts to settle in.
Kennedy Strain, a Senior on the Volleyball team, felt that it wasn’t too hard to get back into a sports mode. “We are athletes 24/7 and trained all through the summer. Most of us joined a summer volleyball league as well to help keep us in the game. Tryouts are day one, so we have to be prepared to give it out all right off the bat.”
The Volleyball players return on August 17 to a more laid-back practice to help them get back into the groove, but then the after was tryouts, so it was very important for them to stay sharp during their time off.
One-way Kennedy likes to keep her mind fresh is by setting a goal for herself. She visualizes something to herself to strive for, but that’s not the only way she keeps her mind sharp. “Keeping in touch with my teammates” helped keep Strain’s mind sharp. “We are a family, and we are blessed to be able to spend a few hours almost every day with each other.”
Some athletes might have trouble coming back and shaking the rust off the first couple weeks but for Strain it was something different that was hard for her. “For me, the only hard part about coming back is knowing this is my last season. My last year being able to play volleyball as a Blue Devil. Last weekend we had a tournament in Portland, Oregon and it was a great start to our season.”
As Stout sports come back and start getting into that full swing it will be interesting to watch how the season unfolds.