Athletes in some sports, notably baseball and men's hockey, do not traditionally attend the College during their sophomore summer. Many baseball players are currently playing in amateur leagues around the country, and some men's hockey players are training at places away from campus. Most Dartmouth athletes, though, will be on campus this term, hitting the gym and practice field to keep up their conditioning.
Matt Cohen '10 of the Big Green sailing team plans to work out several times per week, guided by a workout plan designed by head coaches John Pearce and John Storck. He will not be doing much training in a sailboat, though.
"The workout can't be on the water because we can't rely on good conditions," he said. "But we do train in a way that is very sailing-specific."
Cohen further plans to co-teach the sailing physical education class this summer.
"Just being around the boats for P.E. sailing keeps my boat-handling skills sharp," he said.
Staying in shape is important for the sailors as next year's ICSA Nationals race will be held in San Francisco, which Cohen described as a "very windy venue."
"Racing in a windy location is one of the rare times when the harder you work the faster you go," he said. "We will be trying to get into the best shape, and hopefully we will be out in San Francisco next year."
Cohen will also join several other Dartmouth sailors to compete in the Charles River Open Team Race held June 22-24 in Boston, Mass.
The Dartmouth track and field teams also hold strenuous workouts over the summer to stay in shape.
"Most people choose to do the workouts since summer and fall are key times to train before starting the season," Ken DiCairano '10 said.
Members of the track team get a four- to six-week break after the spring season before starting their optional workouts.
"There [are] no mandatory practices," DiCairano said. "You do it on your own and with whoever is around wherever you are. Most people choose to do the workouts since summer and fall are key times to train before starting the season."
While coaches cannot sanction or hold practices, an assistant coach is present for pole vaulting practice for safety reasons.
Members of the Dartmouth squash team will also work out on an individual basis. The squash team has six levels of training intensity, and the squash players hope to get to level four or five by the end of the summer.
Mike Shrubb '10 said he hopes to spend four to five days per week running, lifting and playing squash.
"Our off-season training is less intense than other sports because squash is the type of sport where you don't need the whole team to work out," he said. "Whenever you have time, you can go and do drills by yourself or in a group of two or three. To have a really solid session you only need two people."
Unlike sailing, swimming and track, many team sports will have more organized, self-led team practices.
The women's hockey team signs up for time slots and meets for practice several times a week. It also hopes to hold joint practices with other teams, such as lacrosse and soccer.
"We lift and run basically three times a week with a couple of early morning sessions," Sue Schmitz '10 said. "The coaches can't make us train, so it is technically optional, but obviously everyone does it because everyone wants to."
Likewise, the men's swim team plans to be in the pool on a regular basis.
"[Training] should be pretty serious," Doug Nelson '10 said. "We're probably going to be training every day, but not doing double practices like we would during the season."
Nelson said the team hopes to make the training sessions more team-focused, despite the individual nature of most swimming events.
"I think that the training is going to take on a little more of a cohesive character because it's just the '10s and we're pretty close as a class," he said. "We're going to be training more as a group, as opposed to our individual events or goals."
Women's basketball also starts its summer training next week. The squad will have basketball-specific workouts as well as twice-weekly workouts with other teams that will consist of running and lifting.
"Our coaches give us separate packets of skill development," Betsy Williams '10 said. "In years past, it has been shooting and dribbling drills and passing stuff. We're also hoping to play pick-up basketball several time a week."
