Whether it is during the season or offseason, a basketball player has to be in good shape.
“It is very important to stay in shape during the off season,” sophomore guard CeMonay Newell said. “It is hard to get back in shape during the season if you have slacked off in your conditioning while the season is over.”
Trying to stay in shape during the off season can consist of running, weight training, shooting jump shots, cardio work and related activities.
“The coaching staff lets the team know and reminds us that it doesn’t take any time to get out of shape,” sophomore post Jasmine King said. “We know there will be problems for us as basketball players if we get ready to start the season and have not done any kind of working out during the off season.”
Running seems to be a primary activity toward keeping in shape.
“During the off season, running around the track doing cardio work usually helps me stay in good condition,” Newell said. “I still play basketball and shoot around when the season is not going on, just to stay in tune with the game of basketball.”
Generally, a basketball player tries to get stronger and faster when they are in the conditioning process. Coach Jones believes in her players getting better both mentally and physically to become more successful on the basketball court to make better decisions to help their team win.
“Mental toughness is the main element of conditioning that our players really understand because it is very important and the game of basketball has many obstacles,” Jones said. “We as coaches believe that each of our players can and will do their best toward becoming stronger mentally and physically.”
In addition, hardships come along with trying to put in effort to stay in good shape.
“Laziness is a big issue when the season is over,” King said. “Players do not really get much of a break during the season so when the season is over, lying around and getting used to relaxation can be a problem toward working out regularly.”
The TJC women’s basketball team uses the weight room pretty often during the off season to keep in shape. Weight training can consist of using different equipment and free weights.
“Weight training is a big part of the players’ offseason conditioning,” Jones said. “They lift weights three days per week during the offseason to help work toward getting stronger and becoming more fit.”
