Boys’ Track
By Liam O’Brien
Managing Editor of Sports
Despite the harsh conditions outside, the track team was able to persevere and make the first official week of the season a productive one. The group began the week with an extensive meeting run by the captains, as athletes were instructed on how to conduct themselves at practice, followed by a long run.
The early portion of the week ensued with a collection of runs, personnel decisions on which people would compete in which events, and core workouts. Towards the end of the week, practice was intensified, with athletes specializing to improve at their respective events.
Each run preceded a 20-minute core workout, and the athletes were encouraged to visit the gym after practice to lift.
Junior Patrick Gloria took me through the experience of a sprinter during the first week. “We did a hill workout one day, and another day we did a series of sprints from Meadowbrook St. to Parker St., which is about 350 meters long,” Gloria said. “After each running exercise, we would do core exercises.”
Boys’ Lacrosse
By Daniel Carney
Sports Reporter/Columnist
The boys’ lacrosse team didn’t exactly take the field for their first week of practice, doing drills and working out indoors as the field still remained covered in snow. “We didn’t do much schematically in the first week,” junior captain Jake Boll said. “We worked on stick work, man up/man down drills, and three-on-two and four-on-four drills to see individual skill.”
The team also did a plentiful amount of conditioning to prepare for the long season, including many rounds of push-ups and mountain climbers. “We also did several sprints and defensive slides to prepare us for real game situations,” Boll said.
It’s unfortunate to see the group not able to play outside in their first 6-day stretch, but with increasing temperatures and continued snow-blowing on the field, it’s just a short matter of time before they will be able to rip some shots on the actual turf.
Baseball
By Cameron Dubin
Sports Reporter
Much like the other spring teams, the Newton South baseball team has been forced to practice in the Field House and Gym B. However, the team has been able to do some crucial drills, helping it to prepare for the upcoming season. The Lions have been doing pushups and situps, jumping rope, running and additional exercises to help them get into physical shape for the season.
They have also done different drills where baseballs are hit off tees, in addition to soft toss from coaches to simulate bunting drills. South also has a major benefit of a pitching machine, so the players can hit balls which simulate the speed of the pitches they will face in game action.
However, another huge part of the Lions’ first week was preparing them for the mental aspect of the game. This includes team building, an increased focus at practice, and learning to take the game one pitch at a time. The whole program has had quick discussions on how they can easily improve this part of the game.
Girls’ Tennis
By Sam Rosenblatt
Managing Editor of Sports
The girls’ tennis team has spent the first week of the spring season preparing the courts rather than their strokes. With snow still blanketing much of Newton South’s tennis courts, the team has struggled to find practice time, but expects the weather to have little effect on their season goal of advancing in the state tournament.
Volleyball
By Dan Rosenzweig-Ziff
Editor-in-Chief
The volleyball team, unlike many of the other spring sports, has not had to worry about the snow melting to allow them to get on the courts. Through the first week of practice, the team has put a heavy emphasis on the fundamentals. The fundamentals for volleyball include passing and serving, which may not be the most exciting parts of the game to watch, but, according to the team, are certainly the most important parts of the game in achieving success. After losing just one starter from last year, most of the starting lineup is already set, providing the team with key stability early on in the season. They are also focused on team chemistry, another vital aspect of team success.
“The team looks good,” senior captain Brendan Duggan said. “We’re working hard everyday to achieve the same goals as last year.”
Girls’ Lacrosse
By Jake Epstein
Sports Reporter
Despite beginning the season in abnormal fashion due to the snow covering the field, the girls’ lacrosse team looks poised for a successful season. After practicing inside throughout the week, the team had a successful outing at a Jamboree (a day where a multitude of schools go to scrimmage at a single site) on an outside field on Saturday, winning two of its three contests. The team has also fostered some valuable chemistry, bonding well after already having a team dinner.
“I’ve been out with a concussion so I’ve been able to watch from the sideline, and as of now we look like a strong group who really has a good team dynamic,” junior Kayla Freedman said.
