Impact of the End of Fall Sports on Student-Athletes: Saints Share Their Thoughts on the End of the Fall Athletic Season and Their Winter/Spring Plans
With the end of the fall sports soon approaching, student-athletes will have to adjust to an off-season schedule. Some of them will use the break for mental and physical recovery, but others will miss the routine and satisfaction of a competitive schedule.
Randy LaBrake, senior associate director of athletics at St. Lawrence University, believes that although the change in schedule can initially be difficult, he often sees student-athletes manage well in the off-season. “After the season is over, there is a void,” LaBrake said. “Athletes take a break, you know, they rest. But after a week or so they get back into some type of physical activity related to their sport.”
LaBrake pointed out that the culture of SLU helps foster a positive balance between athletics and academics, which extends past the competitive fall season. “I think this is a very healthy, robust campus,” LaBrake said. “You go walking around campus on a fall or spring day, and you’ll see everybody going.”
Though resources are still available for post-season fitness, the transition to self-scheduled training in the off-season was difficult last year, argues women’s field hockey player Lily Gubbins ’27. “I would definitely say I had a hard time feeling productive if I didn’t have those three hours of exercise every single day,” Gubbins stated. “I was definitely harder on myself, as well as a lot of my other teammates. We shared that feeling.”
Gubbins noted that there are some benefits to the off-season, however. “Although it’s sad saying goodbye to the season, we definitely just need time to recover because sports are really hard on the body, both physically and mentally,” said Gubbins. “I think a break is needed to re-set and to recover and to just think about other things in life besides your sport. Especially going to a small school like this, getting involved is really important,” she said. Gubbins noted that this year, she hopes to join a CBL and pick up an internship in her free time to keep herself scheduled.
Some student-athletes will be entering into a second competitive season come winter, which poses the separate issue of burnout. Avery Blanchard ’28 of the women’s cross country and track and field team said that “there’s definitely a much higher risk of burn-out being a three-season athlete. That’s why I think having an off-week is going to be so important.” However, the first-year predicts that she will enjoy being in-season all year round because she loves the purpose it gives her, as well as the atmosphere of the team. “It always gives me a goal and something to work towards. Competing, not just for myself, but for my team and school, it’s definitely very special,” Blanchard said.