Whether it’s basketball, baseball, football, or golf, there’s no better time to catch up or move ahead of the competitive field than in the summer time. This is the time when athletes separate themselves from each other, in either direction.
Whether it’s basketball, baseball, football, or golf, there’s no better time to catch up or move ahead of the competitive field than in the summer time.
This is the time when athletes separate themselves from each other, in either direction.
The students who choose to take advantage of this time of the year to improve and polish their skills are the ones we see in the newspaper and television or hear on the radio.
On the flipside, the individuals who don’t train or even try to get better during the off-season are the one’s who barely make a name for themselves and hurt their respective teams.
However, there are many athletes who play a plethora of sports and their off-season is usually when another sport is happening.
For these students, it’s really no deterrent at all because they are still competing and keeping themselves fit throughout the entire season.
I really commend both types of individuals, who play many sports or just one sport.
We have all seen many talented multi-sport athletes and just one-sport athletes who have gone from playing here on Kaua‘i to college and beyond.
The not so surprising fact, though is that they all have one thing in common: they take their off-seasons seriously and train during the summer, instead of waiting for their sport’s regular season to come around.
In addition, I’ve seen athletes make their biggest improvement during the summer and it’s almost like witnessing a new rejuvinated individual who took a magical potion to turn into an unstoppable machine.
My off-seaons were the times I got better as a basketball player. I took great pride in the hard work that I did, which included weight-lifting, running, and just going to parks or gyms to keep the game in my mind and body throughout the year.
As a one-sport athlete, I had to train hard in the off-season to get better.
I wanted to beat that Kapa‘a or Waimea guard down the court or get that extra step and during the summer was when that transformation would take place.
There are lots of temptations on Kaua‘i to make an athlete forget about training during the summer.
For one, the summer time is a great break from school and some athletes figure that if school isn’t going on, then it’s time to take some time off from sports too.
However, it’s that very willingness to make yourself a better player when you have the time to do it, that will make the difference in the closing seconds of that championship game or when it really counts.
At the Kaua‘i Athletic Club, I do see a lot of college and high school athletes working out and keeping in shape throughout the summer.
This is great to witness because some students put working out, in the back seat when it comes to summer time activities.
I’ve seen many players, who have come and gone with so much talent, but don’t take the initiative in the summer time to work on their weaknesses.
After all, as you move up in the ranks and go up to the next level, talent isn’t going to get you to the ensuing step, instead it’s good work ethic and discipline.
Duane Shimogawa, Sports Editor can be reached at 245-3681 (ext. 257) and mailto:kauaisports@pulitzer.net
