With the Fall sports seasons in full swing, Occidental’s Spring athletes are gearing up for their upcoming seasons. According to Sydney Acol (sophomore), a defender on the lacrosse team, preseason training is mainly focused on staying active in the sport. Acol said that the lacrosse team lifts, scrimmages and trains in small groups twice a week.
“I’ve worked with the other defenders, and then the attackers go together, and then the midfielders go together. And then, usually the goalies work with a tag just so they can get shots on them,” Acol said.
Acol said their new coach, Sierra Slack, has contributed to her excitement for the upcoming season.
“She knows the whole deal super well. She knows how to balance our athletics and our academics,” Acol said. “She gives amazing constructive criticism all the time.”
Acol said the team tries to get meals together, and that their favorite group activity is going to Tpumps, a boba shop in Pasadena, weekly.
“I think our good, strong team dynamic moving into this season looks pretty good,” Acol said. “I think we’ll have a lot more success.”
According to Ariel Lashinsky (senior), a captain of the softball team, they shortened their Fall season with three weeks of practices and a game day finale. Lashinsky said that the team lifts three times a week and has open field hours five times a week. According to Lashinsky, the softball team did not have a coach until recently.
“The seniors have been taking it upon ourselves to get our team on the field,” Lashinsky said. “We all want to stay ready.”
Similar to softball, Evan Lieber (sophomore), a thrower on the track team, said that since there is an ongoing search for a new throwing coach, throwers have primarily trained on their own this Fall. Lieber said the throwing team lifts three times a week and has practice for two hours. According to Lieber, not all throwers are present at the practices yet due to other sports and lack of medical clearance. During the spring season, Lieber said the lifts are a little lighter, though they are still trying to get stronger.
“It’s more about technique,” Lieber said. “We’re trying to have our best, best throwers compete at the end of the season rather than the beginning of the season because we want to get better every week and then finally finish at SCIAC tournament with the most points.”
According to Lieber, the throwers stick together a lot since they’re often on their own. However, the whole track team bonds together during lift. Lieber said it has been awesome getting to know everyone, even if they are not in the same event.
“The other track coaches are giving us lifts to do but the practices are all on our own,” Lieber said. “We have been making a lot of progress, actually, in the practices.”
A captain of the men’s basketball team, Aiden Williams (senior) said that the team has prepared for official Fall practices to start Oct. 15 by having held eight previous practices.
“More practice is better, you know. The more you practice, the better you get,” Williams said. “We feel like we are getting better every day.”
According to Williams, the basketball team hired a new coach, Alex Barkouras, who is a sports psychologist and nutritionist. Williams said the members of the track team also meet with him twice a week, discussing nutrition, sleep, recovery and mentality.
“Mentality is really important in sports, you have to be aware when you’re playing, and you have to be resilient. It’s really easy to miss a shot in basketball and get down on yourself,” Williams said. “This year, we’re really emphasizing keeping our head up and going on and moving on to the next play.”
Williams said the team has a lot of off-campus activities as well.
“We’ve gone to the beach and done sand workouts, we go to team movies, something we really like to do,” Williams said. “We got a team dinner and then we have an off-campus house, so we’ll invite guys to come over there.”
Williams said it is important to realize that athletes are not only athletes but people and individuals as well.
“It’s super important to get to know your teammates, not only on the court, but off the court,” Williams said. “I think that definitely helps build chemistry, knowing someone not only as an athlete but as a person.”
Lieber said he’s feeling good about the season, though it is nerve-wracking with all the uncertainties.
“It’s going to be a good season [and a] good year,” Lieber said. “I’m excited to set some new personal bests and just represent [Occidental].
Contact Reyan Nguy at Nguy@oxy.edu
