Lane Tech, ranked among the top three for academics in Chicago and Illinois, is consistently considered to have top tier athletic programs by the Chicago Sun-Times. And behind the scenes, Lane’s athletes start competing before the season even begins.
Tryouts for Lane’s teams in fall can begin before the school year even starts, and for varsity volleyball athlete sophomore, Sophia Polec, training and bonding starts before the season. “We [varsity girls volleyball] do have weight room together, and then sometimes, we’ll have team bonding hangouts, you know, just to make sure we stay a team,” Polec said. “Like, not just physically, but mentally. And then we have a couple camps right before the season’s about to start.”
For those practicing in summer as preparation for fall, the schedule can consist of more practices than some club teams. Fellow fall athlete and sophomore Brooke Bornstein, a varsity tennis player said, “I make sure to play a lot in the summer, especially outdoors, because high school tennis is mostly outdoors, and I make sure to practice like 3 or 4 times a week and make sure that I’m staying active.”
But many athletes who spend their school year preparing for their season combine training at school with club training. “I play a sport in the spring, and in the off season, 2 to 3 times a week, my team does conditioning,” said JV Lacrosse player Zoey Marsh. “[That] consists of cardio and lifting, as well as I go to training camps, and participate in club.”
To Marsh, the competition involved in making a Lane team adds to her drive to become a better athlete. “I think it definitely motivates me to train more and further.” Marsh said.
Bornstein noted the effect of competition was apparent in planning her preseason training. “It definitely makes me want to practice a lot more and push myself,” Bornstein said.
While athletes like Polec diversify their training routine by playing in different spaces and weightlifting, sophomore, Owen Zakaras, a varsity basketball player, trains specifically for basketball.
“I kind of just do basketball related workouts, trying to become more athletic, stronger,” Zakaras said. ”A lot of shooting workouts just to, you know, get ready for the season.”
Mental fortitude goes hand in hand with the ambition that drives athletes to train preseason. “I mean, I always want to make the team,” Polec said. “That’s the 1st goal, but making it past that, I aim to be the 1st starter. So that’s my motivation to really work, I want to be the best. I wanna be better than my competitor, so that’s what gets me out of bed every morning. That’s what enables me to push myself.”
