Many athletes’ seasons start much before their school games. Weightlifting, playing in club tournaments and participating in off-season cross-training regimes help Trinity’s athletes excel when the season rolls around. In recent years, Trinity has had much sporting success, and it can be traced back to players playing when not in season.
The Trinity Prep boy’s basketball team got its new head coach, Irwin Hudson, from a local basketball training facility. Because of his professional training experience, Hudson understands how valuable individual skills acquired during the off-season can be in seasonal play. This year the varsity squad has 11 members, eight of whom play Amatuer Athletic Union (AAU) club basketball when not playing for Trinity.
Trinity players find themselves separated out on different teams in the offseason, but most learn more individual-minded AAU league skills and translate them to team-oriented play.
“Playing club in the offseason definitely elevates my game because I am competing against some of the top players in the country,” junior Blake Garfinkel said.
Across all sports, the college recruiting process is tied to off-season play. It is much easier for big-time college coaches to travel to large showcases and tournaments rather than going to individual school games.
Junior Trent Suddeth plays basketball at a high level and has begun garnering interest from colleges across the nations.
“School season is more competitive, and more is on the line,” Suddeth said.
Much of the Trinity basketball team’s success in recent years can be attributed to the players’ commitment to club play.
Basketball players are not the only ones who see the merit in off-season play; both the boy’s and girl’s soccer teams are very active in local clubs.
Sophomore Nick Olore is an advocate for playing club soccer.
“I believe that if everyone plays club in the off-season, it will help the team. By the time school season comes, you have the experience that is needing to greatly benefit the team,” Olore said.
Especially in a sport like soccer, much of the college recruitment process happens during club play, rather than the school level. The Orlando area has a variety of prominent club teams that travel around the nation to tournaments regularly.
Keeping a feel for the ball when not in season is important. Sophomore Lindsey Greenwood plays club to keep herself playing throughout the year; Greenwood is one of many club players to start for the Saints’ varsity squad this year.
In lacrosse, it is important to keep stick skills honed year round.
“The more practice the better!” sophomore Annie Richardson said.
Girls such as junior Gracie Gigliotti and sophomore Richardson are teammates on both club and Trinity teams. An added benefit for Trinity girls looking to play club lacrosse is that their school coach, Katie Palasz, is also a coach for the local club Revolution Lacrosse.
Both Gigliotti and Richardson noted that the pressure they feel is much higher when playing club, as they find themselves up against the most elite players in the area. Often club teams have very selective tryouts.
Gigliotti added that the last tournament she attended had more than 500 coaches from all over the U.S.
Trinity Prep Aquatics is an interesting case, as the off-season program is still considered a Trinity function. Many Trinity swimmers swim after school every day year round. There are of course swimmers who take on another sports outside of fall season.
“With the exception of backing off a little bit in the spring to run track, I basically swim year round here at Trinity,” freshman Kaitlin Gasner said.
A few Trinity swimmers leave Trinity Aquatics to swim at the local Blue Dolphins club, but most of the athletes have their teammates around them all the time.
“Swimming during the off-season definitely brings a racing mindset with it since we all chose to be there and to swim in club meets,” freshman Matt Degtyar said.
Most swimmers agree that the college recruiting process for their sport is in full swing year round, whether they are swimming in the high school state competition or national tournaments in the spring.
As well as having all of their Trinity Prep teammates to support them, Trinity swimmers find themselves in a deeper pool during the offseason.
“During club season, [we] have the addition of kids from other schools, as well as swimmers out of college,” junior Caroline White said.
For swimming, basketball, soccer and other sports, Gasner added a key bit of wisdom: “There is no offseason.”
