For numerous athletes, the summer is another season in itself. It’s where they make their biggest strides — where they push for more playing time, fix the problems from a year ago and bond with their teammates even more.
Teams make adjustments, and for some like the men’s basketball and volleyball teams, that will mean getting used to a new coaching staff.
“She’s going to push us to get a lot of touches on the ball, I don’t think she’s going to care about the weight room,” junior volleyball player Andi Bentley said. “She’s changed around the whole way we play.”
The volleyball team has already been introduced to new coach Charita J. Stubbs, but the summer will pose as a time for her to get familiar with the team she has.
Athletes who suffered injuries, or had their year end due to one, may approach the summer with some precaution as they train.
Rising redshirt sophomore Jessica Popple suffered an injury after cross country’s season that kept her shut out from running track.
“I’m going to work a lot harder this summer,” Popple said. “I’ll still be careful, if there’s pain I’ll be a little more careful with it.”
Not only will Popple be on her road to coming back from an injury, she will also be aiming to crack into the cross country lineup — the top five runners compete for the ACC Championship and NCAA Championship.
“It’s huge motivation, losing this whole year to track, indoor and outdoor,” Popple said. “It’s going to make me push and work hard.”
Others, like shot putter Mitchell Pope, are coming from years where they got to fully display their skills and prove themselves and are unlikely to push for a spot or playing time.
After placing third in the ACC Championship with a career best throw, Pope said he will remain motivated.
“I don’t really consider it a good year,” Pope said. “I want to be one of the best in the nation — if not the best — so that’s what’s motivating me for next year.”
Pope said his summer regiment will be about 95 percent lifting and five percent technique.
It will be just the reversal for women’s basketball, where players like rising senior Marquetta Dickens will be spending more time working on different skills than in the weight room.
“One of the things we’re stressing this year is basically working on things you know you need to work on in the off-season,” Dickens said, citing footwork, shooting, ball-handling and agility as a few of those things.
Dickens also said the team will do conditioning drills, like running the mile, to stay in shape for when the season starts.
All athletes, including incoming freshmen, are required to be on campus by the second summer session.