Editor’s note: Jen Simonetti is a freshman defender from Copley, HS, (Copley, OH) who was All-State a year ago and 4-time All-Conference performer. This is the first of two entries from Simonetti, who will hand off the duties from junior goalkeeper Steph Weisenfeld as the season begins. Weisenfeld will continue to write entries every two weeks until the completion of the 2001 season.

Imagine being completely involved in your senior year. Your college choice has been made, you are in the middle of a track season, and your diploma is almost in your hand. This is how my spring was going until the package arrived. I opened it up to a thick blue notebook, a letter, and an instructional video. The same supplies every teammate received, but to a freshman it was very overwhelming. I looked through the book and realized that I had three days until I was supposed to start the workout, but I could never do that on top of all my track workouts. I put off the book until the end of May or beginning of June, and that’s when it all started.

I didn’t understand just what I was getting into. I love working out, but this was a new level. I began running everyday, but they weren’t leisurely jogs; it was hundreds of sprints or fast middle distance. Sometimes I would have a support staff of college players to run with, and sometimes I was alone. The running itself wasn’t bad, and at first, I really enjoyed the challenge. After the first month or so, I still enjoyed the workouts, but I had a hard time finding time and motivation to go out and work. I never quit running because I kept dreading the fitness tests and wanted to play well at the first practices. Occasionally I would alter the workout, but I was still working as hard as I could. I was fortunate to go on a lot of vacations, so I could change the scenery of my runs. I ran on the beach, around a boat, and down a boardwalk, so it was a nice break from the track and my neighborhood.

When it comes to the lifting, I was really confused on how to execute the maneuvers. I found someone to help me, but at the same time I integrated free weights and minor machines. Unfortunately, the vacations were a drawback on my lifting regimen, so I worked mainly with free weights. Well, I have survived the summer program so far, but I am heavily anticipating preseason and the fitness testing. Now all I can do is hope everything I did was enough.

Simonetti will conclude her two-part journal in two weeks and continue to give a freshman’s perspective on training, practices, transitions, and competition.