Long before Wilson’s teams are seen dominating the field, they can be found lifting weights and running laps. We decided to take a look into the workout programs of a couple different sports at the school to see how they compare.

Baseball

Although the baseball program has no mandatory workouts during the offseason, all of its varsity players work out regularly at gyms around DC as well as Wilson’s own weight room. “For baseball, training revolves around the weights,” captain senior Sam Himmelfarb emphasized. “Explosiveness and strength are the twin priorities of our offseason training.”

The players lift weights up to seven days a week during the offseason. In the spring, this drops to around once or twice a week. The main goal of weightlifting is to increase the power of the team’s hitters. At the high school level, home runs are a factor that can separate elite teams from the rest of the pack. Weight-based training also leads to increased velocity for the team’s pitchers.

Wrestling

While Wilson’s wrestling team does not have team workouts during the offseason, assistant coach Patrick Mangan gives all of the athletes an optional exercise schedule. This schedule has the wrestlers lift weights twice a week. “Our workout plan is primarily based on building strength while trying to create as little mass as possible,” said junior captain Garrett Cashion.

In order to minimize their chances of being pinned or taken down, Wilson’s wrestlers look to maximize their strength without gaining any weight so they can maintain an edge on other competitors in their weight class.

Boys Lacrosse

The boys’ lacrosse team organizes workouts for themselves both in the weight room and on the field throughout the offseason. The players work out almost every day and focus mainly on endurance, which allows them to maintain speed in games during the season. “In the weight room we mainly do circuit stuff and on the field it’s a lot of cardio,” explained junior captain Jalen Coleman.

Another perk of the daily workouts is the team bonding that occurs leading up to the season. “The workouts build chemistry that translates on the field during the season,” said Coleman.

Football

The football team has mandated workouts in the offseason, but a large chunk of the team works with training programs such as Champ Time Fitness. The main focus of these workouts is upper body and legs, according to juniors Amir Gerald and Christian Watkins. The football team focuses mainly on getting stronger and gaining mass during the offseason through work on the field and in the weight room.

Watkins feels as though his team lacks dedication with the workouts. “When basketball works out, they do it every day. We mess around,” said Watkins. Gerald added that he thinks the football team is third or fourth in terms of frequency weight room attendance. Gerald does think the workouts help a lot with chemistry since “we motivate each other.”

Track and Field

The track team holds mandated workouts in the offseason and every day during the season. Many, like senior Dominick Hogans, still find extra time to workout on their own. The exercises depend on the distance an athlete runs. “Sprinters do more weights and fast, quick twitch muscle exercises. [Long] distance usually does cardio with long runs, they can be 45, 50, or 60 [minutes]. And then, if you’re in the mid-distance, like I am, you go back and forth,” Hogans explained. The team works out in the pool and the weight room, and does sessions on the track.

These workouts are vital to improving. “In track it’s more straightforward, it will drop your times as you workout more,” said Hogans.

Boys Basketball

The boys basketball team has mandated offseason workouts. They focus on both cardio and weights, as well as skill work on the court. Becoming more explosive is the focus of these workouts, along with building upper body strength.

Many players also work with trainers on their own or hit a local gym to get the extra work in. Sophomore Chase Cook works out four times a week, simulating in-game situations and improving his decision making. with his skill work. He adds that the extra work helps him become more “comfortable” on the floor so he can play at a “high-level.”

Girls Basketball

The girls basketball team holds “some type of set up” for offseason workouts according to junior Mecca Camille. Camille adds that “a lot of girls are doing their own thing” during the offseason.

Skill work is a focus for the team before they head into their season. To improve, Camille says that many of her teammates play travel basketball, such as for an Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) team. Many also play other sports at Wilson, which helps them stay in good shape for the season. Skill work includes ball-handling and shooting drills for the most part. The team finishes by competing against each other.

Girls’ Lacrosse

The girls lacrosse team prepares for their season by organizing team runs. Although no mandated workouts are held, most of the team attends these runs since they are beneficial. Maintaining stick skills people might have lost while not playing is the main focus of offseason workouts according to junior Ella Cain.

Staying in good cardiovascular shape is a priority during the offseason is extremely helpful to team members as getting back in shape can become very difficult. During the season, the team does conditioning usually even on top of a normal warm up and practice.