Our Position: LT spring and winter sports are too close.

Do you ever think that the high school sports seasons are too close together? Well, I do, because LT’s winter sports seasons are way too long and go into the spring. This creates a major conflict as spring sports tryouts start super early. So, many multiple-sport athletes are forced to quickly transition from their winter sport to their spring sport. They don’t have enough time to practice and prepare, both mentally and physically, for their next sport.
Multi-sport athletes will likely be rusty for their spring sport resulting in being placed on a team that does not compare to their true skill and ability. The athletes’ winter sports become so normal to them that their bodies and mindsets have adapted specifically to that sport. However, with the spring sports season starting up almost immediately, they have to try to change their normal routine for an entirely different kind of sport.
Additionally, the high expectation of tryouts creates even more pressure on the athletes who are already worrying about their adjustment. Many need a couple of weeks or even longer to refresh the fundamentals and skills of their spring sports. Having the two seasons so close together increases the chance of injuries for players by having them overwork their bodies with little to no recovery time. And if a player is dealing with an injury from their winter sport, they have little to no time to recover due to the immediacy of spring tryouts. They risk missing tryouts completely or playing with the injury, impacting their performance.
Another consideration is burnout. Athletes can and will burnout from mental and physical fatigue from the training that is required for their sports. This is a problem for the athlete’s mental health, as some may experience depression. Athletes also have to worry about doing well at the end of their winter sport season while trying to start preparing for spring tryouts. Most end up having to pick between preparing for the big end-of-season games or locking in and making a good team for tryouts. This is a lot of pressure for a teenager.
One counterargument is that having spring tryouts very early allows the spring teams to develop chemistry, with the coaches and players becoming more comfortable with the game and each other. They have multiple weeks for preparation before their first actual competition. This can be crucial to a team’s success in order to gain momentum. This can lead to a winning season and potentially the opportunity to go far in the playoffs/postseason. There is also pressure from knowing the competition is doing everything they can to gain a competitive advantage, like starting their season as ealy as they can.
Nonetheless, it still drastically impacts the athletes. Although there are some benefits to having spring tryouts so early, it is not worth the negative effect it has on athletes. For instance, if an LT student plays basketball and then plays baseball later in the semester, they have to deal with this issue. They are expected to participate in baseball intramurals in the offseason to prepare for the upcoming tryouts but must also keep focus on their current basketball season. Moreover, on top of their two sports, they have to deal with the stress of school and having solid grades to even be eligible for their sports. In the end, the physical toll and mental burden is too great; LT should shorten the winter season or push spring tryouts farther back.

Staff Vote: 16-7