Courtesy of The Mossy Log
The fall competitive season is an exciting time in which the Lewis & Clark football, volleyball and soccer teams represent the college and compete against other schools. However, activity for these sports teams does not end when their regular season ends in November. All of these teams have an equally exciting spring offseason. During this crucial time, players work with their coaches to hone their individual abilities, develop the team’s dynamic and rest so that they are able to succeed in the fall.
When it comes to enhancing individual skills, one important practice is more intensive exercise, so that players can ready their bodies for the regular season. The constant competition and practices that teams face in the fall have incredible physical demands, and because of this, training focuses on maintenance in order to avoid injury and exhaustion. Without the pressure of the season, players are able to push themselves further than they typically could, allowing them to approach the competitive season in the best shape they can be. This shift in focus from maintenance to intense preparation is best seen in how players of all sports deal with weight-lifting exercises between seasons.
Soccer player Mischa Vanek ’27, told The Mossy Log that she lifts for twice as long in the offseason. Volleyball player Daphne Ibrao ’28 said that she goes for heavier weights and tries to max out as much as possible in the offseason, but avoids going over 70% of her max during the regular season. Football player Mateo Maehara ’27 went further into the topic.
“Weights-wise, it’s maintenance mode, to reduce the amount of wear and tear we have,” Maehara said. “The offseason is trying to build strength and size back up for when we get back early to do fall camp and play our season.”
Refining the athletes’ abilities extends beyond increasing the intensity of their exercises. In the regular season, the individual athlete’s performance takes a backseat to the team’s overall performance and preparation against their next opponents. In the offseason however, players are able to reflect on their performance, target specific areas of improvement and grow with training specific to them.
In an interview with the Mossy Log, football player Joseph Yankosky ’29 discussed this matter of specialized training as it relates to his role on the team. He has a routine specific to him as a kicker, with an emphasis on leg exercises, such as calf raises. Outside of the weight room, like all LC football players, he attends meetings to understand his progress and how to move forward in improving his skills. The offseason is a time for many players to focus and grow into the best version of themselves they can be.
This hard work towards individual growth pays off, as the offseason is also a time in which players show off their abilities as the team restructures itself for the fall season. The offseason brings with it the loss of the team’s senior players and gaps in the team’s line-up as these seniors often play key roles. These gaps provide the opportunity for other teammates to demonstrate their athletic prowess, especially through scrimmage events. The women’s soccer team, for example, hosted multiple small scrimmage games in the previous offseason and has an upcoming scrimmage against Warner Pacific in April. These games are an excellent way to see where the team is at after the athletes have worked on developing their skills individually, according to Vanek.
“It’s good to see where the team is at, especially since we lose the senior class. It lets younger players show out more and gives you an idea of where people will fit on the team,” Vanek said.
The offseason is, of course, also a time for students to pull back from the intensity of the competitive season. Ariah Potts ’29 explained that volleyball practices during the offseason feel less serious and allow her to ask more questions that inform her on how she can work on herself as a player. This more mellow atmosphere also allows teams to build camaraderie. Soccer player Ava Lazzara ’28 shared that although teammates see each other less often than during the regular competitive season, seeing them in a different context allows them to create a deeper bond with who they are playing with. Additionally, she mentioned that one of her favorite parts about the offseason is being able to step back and appreciate the sport, something which is sometimes difficult during the hectic fall season. Volleyball player Kenzie Edwards ’27 expressed a similar sentiment, claiming that her favorite part of the offseason is the sports-life balance.
“The offseason gives us more time to catch up on sleep, hang out with friends, work and other stuff we may miss out on in-season. I pay for my own college, so the offseason is super valuable to me so I can work a lot more without missing practices, time with my teammates and lifts,” Edwards said.
Overall, the spring offseason is an important time for all of the sports programs with a fall competitive season. It is a time in which players are able to work towards refining their abilities and improving the team as a whole, while providing a break from the demanding regular season. There is no doubt that it is thanks to the work that the athletes at LC are putting in during the offseason that they will succeed in the Fall 2026 season.
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