Mesa Legend - News - Off-season training vital to success

Off-season training vital to success - MCC athletes prepare for play with various strength-training programs

Elisa Nowicki
Mesa Legend

While most students were fortunate to enjoy their three months of summer freedom since the end of the spring semester, many MCC athletes have been attending off-season practices weekly to prepare for their fall and winter sports. In order to stay in optimum shape and reach peak performances in time for the official season, it is imperative for all athletes to begin training several months in advance to reach their season goals.

The basketball season may have officially started a few weeks ago, but training for the season began in the summer. Alton Lister, men’s basketball coach who played for five NBA teams over the course of 17 years, has been preparing his team for the official season since June.

“A lot of the players are right out of high school, so it’s important that we give them a foundation so that they know what they’re up against.”

The off-season begins in June with athletes attending practices four to five times a week of weightlifting. Another important component of his off-season training is a summer league that is held twice a week. As the season draws closer, athletes have a maintenance program which allows them to do weightlifting when they don’t have games. Three days a week the athletes lift and skill work is emphasized on the weeks that there are no games. Also essential to season preparation is nutrition, which can be an issue because fast food is so convenient for most people.

Lister discourages his athletes to eat food detrimental to peak performance. He does encourage them to eat plenty, at least four meals a day.

Spring sports have also been preparing for the upcoming season since the beginning of the school year, including track and field and baseball.

Eric Lopez, 18, a freshman baseball player says the team has been practicing for the upcoming season since the first day of school. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays the team meets at 5:00a.m. to weight-lift. Tuesdays and Thursdays are regular practices and are held from 2:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Members and hopefuls for this seasons rack and field have also been practicing since the first week of school. Rashaud Scott, 20, a sophomore and second-year thrower for the track team, also practices five times a week. His practices consist of throwing two times a week and three days of weight lifting. The track and field season officially begins in February.