by Grace Kelly, staff writer
For Carroll students, summer begins at 11:11 a.m. on May 21, but Carroll’s fall athletes aren’t off the hook yet. Many of the athletes are just beginning to gear up again for the hustle and bustle that their fall seasons provide. Soon after the school year ends, the practice fields are utilized by some of Carroll’s 24 athletic and spirit teams.
Many of the teams at Carroll offer a camp and hold regular practice in the summer to help improve upon players’ strength and weaknesses in their respective games. These camps and practices and held at various times and dates throughout the summer months, and coaches may even ask their players to build upon their training with weights and conditioning classes.
“The summer is a great time to practice and improve on my skills,” said junior tennis player Carlie Kobler. “Practicing in the summer is also nice because it’s not as stressful and you won’t be going into the season cold.”
While some of Carroll’s teams hold light practice and camps, others require more advanced preparation, therefore, just beginning their very long season a few months ahead of time.
Carroll’s football team has a long standing tradition of excellence and their summer preparation plays a large part in their continued high performance. Two camps are run for the freshman and the sophomores, juniors, and seniors. At the Bishop Carroll camps, the team goes over plays, while at the Hutchinson Community College football camp, the team scrimmages against other schools. The football team also participates in morning weights every Monday through Thursday.
“I believe that’s what really puts our team above,” said sophomore offensive lineman Billy Briggs. “Weights and the camps help prepare you for the season and get you in shape.”
The spirit teams at Carroll do not let down on practice either, as they have much to prepare for camps and fall performances. The Pom Squad learns a new routine to showcase at camp and additional Tuesday/Thursday practices are to be held after camp to learn new routines for football season. Cheer learns a new dance, the fight song routine, basic stunting skills for new cheerleaders, and conditions jumps and stunts. After camp, the cheerleaders teach new stunts and all the cheers and chants they perform at athletic events. The Color Guard prepares for marching band season with camp and weekly practices to teach show routines and fundamentals of color guard and marching to the new members.
Besides the obvious improvement in skill, summer practices and camp provide great opportunities for teams to grow and become families and continue on the tradition of excellence Bishop Carroll has held for so long in the athletic program.
“The summer months provide much needed time for team bonding on the Pom Squad,” said Pom coach Stephanie Taylor. “Between practicing for camp and preparing for football performances, the girls begin to know one another very well and start dancing like a unified team.”