As the fall comes to a close, most of us put away our cleats, racquets, and bags for the year, dreading what is to come. Winter. It’s the end for many, but for a few athletes, this is just the beginning. Many MHS winter athletes wait all year for the winter to come, spending their spring, summer, and fall days tapping their feet, envisioning the cold winter air.  I interviewed a few of our very own winter athletes who wait all year for this time to come, to get a glimpse into what it’s like to anxiously await the winter months.

So what do the winter athletes of Minnetonka do in order to prepare for their main event? Shauna Conroy, a dedicated Rec baller says, “I usually just carry around a basketball everywhere I go, spend a lot of time in the weight room, and stay hydrated.” Joe Schuldt, a senior on the hockey team, dedicates his time off to self-discovery;  he explains, “In the offseason, I usually find the time to climb Mount Everest to find my inner self.” On the other hand, Abby Legare, a senior on the basketball team, is much more practical, preparing by “purchasing hundreds of sweatshirts, scarves, mittens, and hats. That way I don’t freeze while walking out of practice at night after an ice bath.” The winter just can’t seem to come soon enough for these athletes, but they all make use of the time off to prepare both mentally and physically for what is to come.

While basketball and hockey are in full swing, our Nordic and Alpine ski teams are still left anxiously awaiting for their official season to begin. Caitlin McGoldrick says, “When it first snowed, I started crying tears of joy, but then Mother Nature just took all of that joy away from me.” After months of hard work and preparation, awaiting their time to shine, both ski teams have had this taken away from them by the lack of snow this year. Typically, by mid-December, both ski teams have already participated in multiple races, but so far only the Nordic ski team has participated in a race, which took place all the way in Wisconsin. In the meantime, both teams have been conditioning, running, and doing the occasional snow dance, hoping to bring some real Minnesota weather. Caitlin explains, “It’s frustrating for the whole team. We’ve been preparing since the first week of November for the snow, I never would’ve thought that we would still be doing dry land training a month and a half later. It’s ridiculous!” But not to worry, soon the anticipation will be over for these athletes, as the snow approaches (hopefully) and all of this hardwork will pay off.Tis the season of winter sports, so make sure you get out and show these athletes some love, they’ve been patiently waiting for the past 9 months.