April 5, 2012

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CORVALLIS, Ore. - The perception of “off-season” to most athletic fans is that student-athletes are getting time to rest and recover from their regular season competition, but this is far from the truth when it comes to the Oregon State women’s soccer team.

Women’s soccer gets a small break between the end of the regular season and the end of Christmas break, and then it is back to the grind of getting in shape for the spring season.

“Rest during our ‘off-season’ is an understatement,” junior defender Milan Cabrera said. “This is the season we all dread because we are restricted to a certain amount of hours on the ball, which means the time in between we are running or lifting weights.”

The team has a strict schedule during the spring term, including cardio and lifting with strength trainer Jennifer Miller on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and then practice with the coaches on Tuesday and Thursday.

The veterans on the team are used to the tough schedule, but the freshmen on the team never know what to expect during the “off-season.” Freshman Natalie Meiggs luckily had some insight on the spring season from her sister Lindsay Meiggs, who is a junior on the team.

“I am the only new-comer on the team this year, but my unique aspect is I have gotten to watch Lindsay play for the past two years now,” Meiggs said.

The women’s soccer team works hard during the regular season and then transitions right into the grind of the spring season where their work is put to a test. The Beavers must pass a fitness test after every term to gage their progress and workouts.

Fitness is important in the spring season because of the game schedule they face. Double-headers are not very common in collegiate soccer, but in the spring season teams try to squeeze as many games in as allowed.

“I would say the more challenging part about the spring is sometimes we will play two games in one day, which really takes a toll on the body mentally and physically," Meiggs said.

Not only is the spring season different because of the schedule that they keep on the field, but it is also different in the classroom for the team. Both Meiggs and Cabrera take on heavier loads in the classroom during the spring because the team doesn’t travel as much.

“The spring term is definitely going to be a busy one because I am taking 17 credits, but I have signed up for all online classes which will make it easier for me to manage my time,” Cabrera said. “School wise, in the fall I take a lot easier and lighter load because we travel so much.”

There are a lot of differences between the regular season and the spring season including school, training schedules and fitness regimens. Something that never changes though is the passion that is brought by the team to each and every workout and practice.

“My favorite part about the spring season is being able to see how our team is going to overcome the challenges of losing players from the previous season,” Cabrera said. “Spring is not different from the fall or winter for that matter because as a team, we try to make sure we bring the same intensity to every training session and game.”

The Beavers will open their spring schedule in April where they will play a total of seven games throughout April and May.

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