As Winter Break hits, most students get a break, but the student athletes only get a break from academics. 

“Though I do get a break from academics, I don’t get a break from basketball. We have seven days of practice and two games, but it will be nice not going to school straight to practice so I will still get some free time to relax,” junior Isaac O’nea guard said.

Some of the players are worried about the practices and games interfering with gatherings.

“Since the practices are in the middle of the day, it might affect some of my holiday plans.I have multiple Christmas dinners that do not include Christmas Eve, and it’s because I have such a big family. I am very busy around this time of year,and I don’t have time to do a lot of the things I enjoy doing over break,”freshman Ben Hommel basketball forward said.

O’neal’s holiday plans get affected for a different reason.

“When I was younger, I used to go visit my family who don’t live near me, but now that I have basketball, I don’t do that because it’s my priority. Not only can I not travel that far, but it limits what I can eat because I want to stay in shape,” O’neal said.

Senior Jake Mosemman, basketball forward, explained the differences between practices in school versus outside of school.

“Practices are different because you are more well rested and the team can compete to their fullest during these practices and the games, but I feel as if we push a 

a little harder over break because everyone including the coaches aren’t as exhausted either,” Moseman said.

Parker Doolin basketball guard explained what his day is like after practices on a break.

“I usually end up hanging with friends since it is a break,but when I just end up staying at home, I try to relax and start preparing for the next day of practice.  For me, that can look like eating healthy or going to shoot around with my friends or just resting my body by icing or heating my body,” Doolin said.

Sophomore wrestler,Mikey Fisher talks about how practice is going to be over break.

“The training over break is going to be very important for our team. We are going to practice Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. We are really going to work on our technique and build more team bonding moments,” Fisher said.

O’neal prefers basketball games while in school better than out.
“I feel like the waiting for the game to happen like makes me very antsy because we have all day just waiting for the game to start just sitting around for it to happen, Most of the time a few players on the team go and shoot around before it happens to work away the nerves,” O’neal said.

 Freshman swimmer,Emma Tschopp also likes meets better in school than outside of school.

“I don’t like the waiting around till the meet starts, I like having something to distract me so I like being in school. I also like seeing my friends while I’m in school because I feel like the atmosphere is a lot better during school. All of my teammates are hyping each other up and I won’t have as many holiday plans,”said Tschopp.