Waverly Teams Take On Two-A-Days

Sheridan Parker

Staff Writer

The phrase two-a-days and fall high school sports seem to go hand in hand. Two-a-days are often viewed to be the most dreaded part of fall sport participation. While many fall athletes don’t like them, most acknowledge there does seem to be a benefit from them.

Double practices give the team more time to practice and get themselves ready for the start of the season, and their upcoming games.

“Two-a-days were beneficial to the start of the season, and I think it will start our season off on a good note,” junior Brayden Dowding said.

The unpopular practice provides a much-needed jump start to the team’s season.

“It gives us an extra week of practice, and it builds comradely and chemistry on the team,” head volleyball coach Terri Nuejahr said.

Usually, two-a-days consist of one practice or conditioning in the morning and one in the evening. Football, volleyball and softball all had two-a-days in some form at the beginning of this season.

For freshman volleyball player Adison Kerchal this was her first experience with two-a-days.

“I thought it was going to be horrible, but it was actually pretty easy,” Kerchal said.

The double-practice isn’t all about skills, however.

“It’s a lot of senior- led stuff, we bond with each other, and a few days we will do bonding stuff instead of a whole practice, so that just brings us closer together,” junior softball player Ali Gress said.

While team bonding for each individual sport might be different, there is always one main goal.

“I think anytime you can win together, lose together, suffer together, do anything together, it always draws to the team aspect,” head football coach Tim Williams said.

There is always a balance between work and play that is difficult to find, especially for kids. It’s important not to overdo it.

“I think sometimes you just gotta let kids be kids, sometimes over practicing causes a lack of love for the game,” Williams said.

The football teams only had two-a-days for two days, the softball team had it before school started and the volleyball team had two-a-day practices the first full week of school.

For Kerchal, it was a fun way to bond and provide a role model for the younger players.

“We have a big sister, and our big sister is older, and we do things for each other, and it’s who we look up to,” Kerchel said.

There are also other places where team bonding is important.

“It’s the team against two-a-days,” Coach Nuejahr said. “We practice together, shower together and are forced to spend more time together,” junior Amanda Cook said.

For others though, two-a-days are a reminder of what they will leave behind.

“It was my last two-a-days, and I’ve been a part of this program for four years and it’s just crazy to think this is my last time,” said senior volleyball player, Ashley Nuejahr said.

The biggest downside to two-a-days is the early mornings.

“Morning practices were all conditioning so those can get pretty tough. And if you don’t eat before, you can get pretty sick.” Gress said.

There’s some advice for the incoming freshman who have to endure the infamous two-a-days.

“Just be smart and on time, be motivated and malleable just to get a lot of reps, take coaches advice to heart and use it to better yourself,” Ashley Nuejahr said.

Now that the full season is underway, the Vikings will see if all the extra work will pay off.

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