While preseason for fall varsity athletes formally began on September 5, the bulk of preparation for the season took place over the summer. Many would argue that games are won in the off-season, and so the work put in by athletes this summer has been especially important to setting Groton teams up for success. Here’s the breakdown of what some teams have done this summer, and what they hope to achieve:

Football

The Zebras of the Gridiron are optimistic about 2022, returning a strong core and bringing in some new additions that are expected to make an impact from day one.

To prepare themselves for the season, all players have followed a weight training and running program put together by coach Harold Francis, featuring everything from bench presses and squats to distance running and sprints. Players have been encouraged to share workout videos with the team to push each other. 

On the X’s and O’s side of the game, the team has spent ample time studying a new offensive playbook drawn up by coach John Lyons, who will be taking over as offensive coordinator after several years of just coaching the linemen. 

With lots of change and considerable preparation, the football team has an exciting opportunity this season, and captain Luke Romano ‘23 believes that “staying hungry and disciplined and having faith in each other” will be the keys to success.

Girls Soccer

Unlike other fall teams, Girls Varsity Soccer was fortunate enough to have time prior to the start of preseason to train together as a team. Eleven players, including five new additions to the program, made the trip to Maine to attend Camp Cedar, where the team practiced and played games against other schools. 

Captain Karenna Beckstein ‘23 was “really proud with all the incoming freshmen and all of their grit and determination,” and although the team was not particularly strong in numbers, “work ethic helped us have an undefeated weekend at camp going 3-0.” 

Fellow captain Rose Shingles ‘23 echoed these sentiments, saying, “If our success at Camp Cedar was any indication of how this fall is going to play out, we are in for an exciting season.” With the rest of the squad set to join the team on Labor Day, Shingles said the team is “super thrilled to have back our returners alongside the promising new faces,” and the captains are excited to have a chance to turn the program around after a recent streak of losing seasons.

Boys Soccer

Girls Varsity Soccer’s male counterparts are just as enthusiastic about the season. Following a 12-week workout regimen from coach Joe Martinez, the squad seeks to improve their fitness in both strength and conditioning. 

To incentivize friendly competition, the team has been sending videos of runs, workouts, and drills to their group chat, encouraging each other to aim for goals such as a sub-12:30 2-mile time and getting over 40 juggles with a soccer ball. 

They expect all the hard work to pay off, with captain Jack Travis ‘23 saying, “Coming off of a three-win season, we are definitely looking to push toward a winning record with the main goal of making the NEPSAC tournament.”