Winter sports will quickly be starting here at S.H.S. Especially for athletes not currently in season, preparing for Sterling High Schools sports teams is one key to a successful season. In order to get into shape and mentally prepare, S.H.S. students have been working outside of their sports to ready themselves for their upcoming seasons.

  Junior Jack Miller has been going to multiple gyms with his family to prepare for bowling and maybe even baseball. Going to the gym before winter sports helps with staying in shape, getting stronger, and making athletes more prepared than others planning on doing the sport.

  Besides finding ways to stay in shape through facilities in Sterling, multiple students have been participating in sports outside of the school to prepare for their upcoming seasons. Juniors Neveah Frey and Kirsten Workmen have both been doing travel softball with their team in Moline to prepare for their season. Frey disclosed that “Most of us are on travel teams that help keep us in shape and be as ready as we possibly can for this year”. 

  Assistant boys swim coach Jamie Ruiz said, “Many of our athletes are part of the Sterling Stingray Swim Club, so they have been practicing since the new season started.” 

  Senior Hunter Lofgren has been swimming for the Sterling Stingrays Swim Club in order to prepare for his swim season, Lofgren has been preparing for Boys Swimming and has also been going to the gym stating, “I have been going to the gym when I can.”  Ruiz is excited for the swim season, as she has a fantastic group of motivated and hard-working boys returning. Ruiz also stated, “We graduated eleven seniors last year. That is a huge senior class and filling those shoes will be tough.” She is confident that it will be another exciting season.

  Weight room supervisor Sterling Thornton stated that the weightroom helps “explosiveness, speed, and agility for our off-season athletes.” Thornton states that the athletes start with stretching to not only ready everyone’s muscles for the work, but to increase mobility to ensure that the lifts are precise and correct in form. Thornton explained, “Our lifts are designed to make our players athletes and to keep them healthy.” Thorton’s job is to make sure the athletes are focused and prepared for the lift, on task and pushin not only themselves but others. 

  With all the many sports starting up for the winter, there are many resources that are available outside the high school and inside S.H.S. to get started on your sports, as well as the many staff members who are more than willing to help students be the best they can possibly be for their upcoming sports.