The girls’ tennis team at a preseason scrimmage
WHS offers a wide range of successful sports teams, many of which showcase outstanding and talented athletes. Wissahickon’s athletic success is due to a variety of factors and depends heavily on a knowledgeable coach, players who take time to understand the strategic elements of their sports, and physical training. These elements are extremely vital during the season, but it is the preparation prior to the season that equips teams with confidence and crucial skills for their respective sports. Team sports involve players of different natural abilities and even some with standout talent. Yet, regardless of a player or team’s natural ability, preparation will almost always elevate a team’s ultimate performance. This preparation often goes beyond practicing only during the season in which a specific sport competes. A team that truly wants to succeed understands the importance of preseason.
Preseason is not merely extra practice. It is a time when a team identifies collective and individual strengths and weaknesses, creates long-term and short-term goals, and determines the best physical and mental strategies to utilize throughout the season. Without this essential preparation, teams would constantly fall short and not live up to their collective potential. Wissahickon High School’s coaches understand that in order to be successful in their athletic pursuits, each sport must have a preseason where athletes, as individuals and as a team, prepare for the rigorous season ahead.
As athletes gain experience and continue to spend time dedicating themselves to a sport, they see how preseason is the best way to enhance their athletic abilities and performances. Top athletes at Wissahickon know the importance of preseason. Elise Lombardot (‘26), one of the girls’ tennis team’s top singles players, voiced her opinion on preseason, saying, “Tennis preseason is such a good time for team-building! We play matches and train together, and because of this, I have high hopes for what this season will bring!” Additionally, Sydney McGinley (‘26), a player for the girls’ water polo team at WHS, commented on preseason, noting that “the beginning is the hardest, but that’s what makes the ending worth it.”
Another athlete, Sophia Kim (‘26), a key player on the field hockey team, also views preseason as an essential kick-off to a successful season. “Having been on the team since freshman year, preseason has always been extremely tiring. We usually practice five hours a day. However, the girls get used to the heat, build up their stamina, and grow closer as a unit so they’re ready to bring their best game to the fall season!” Kim says.
Although preseason is commonly perceived as excessive or time consuming, it truly is what makes all the difference between a good team and a great team. Preseason improves athletes’ physical and mental strength, raising a team’s overall chances at success in the upcoming season. WHS recognizes the importance of preseason, ensuring that their sports teams are primed for when it truly counts.