As Fall sports officially came to an end from the three-week Michigan quarantine order put in place by Governor Gretchen Whitmer, athletes continued to try and stay in shape as the winter sports season arrived in 2021. Although the weight room was not open, athletes did what they could to prepare for the upcoming seasons. 

While some had to create their own routine every day, others were given exercises and workouts from their coaches. 

“In preparation for basketball, I’ve had to get creative with ways to get into the gym and get shots up. Our coaches let us decide what was best for our training, so a lot of the training is independent,” said Ben Whiteside ’21. “To a large extent, I’m excited to compete with my friends who I’ve played with since 5th. There could be sacrifices that might need to happen in order for the season to work, but I feel like they’re worth it.” 

All of the at-home workouts and alternative conditioning has benefitted athletes for the beginning of their seasons. It is also important for those athletes who have already committed to their future schools to keep in shape for their college seasons. “I’ve been training and making sure that I get enough running to stay in shape,” said Jillian Brown ‘21, who is committed to play basketball at Northwestern.

Practices for winter sports started Saturday, Jan. 16. Teams including the Boys and Girls Basketball, Boys Swimming and Diving, and Boys Hockey teams, all began their practices for their winter seasons. Boys and Girls Skiing were allowed to begin practice on Jan. 4, as Gov. Whitmer’s ban only applied to indoor sports. Though most of these sports will not permit spectators for the competitions, there is still hope for later in the season that fans will be allowed into the pools, arenas, and rinks to watch the games.