While some only consider the physical training for their sport, the mental aspect of conditioning is starting to become more of a concern for athletes and their coaches.

“In baseball we train physically everyday but in doing that we also try to incorporate some mental training with it,” baseball coach Russell Reichenbach said. “Because a lot of it is mental toughness, finishing the workout, and [trying to] keep going 100 percent of the time, even when it’s hard.”

However, some students tend to focus on only one aspect when training.

“For cheer, I think it is definitely more mental,” senior Christa Murad said. “If you’re naturally just really a negative person, who doesn’t like to smile or have any school spirit, then it is going to be hard for you to be a cheerleader when that is basically the whole persona of one.”

To others, they believe the mental and physical factors of a sport should go hand and hand.

“I usually train both,” senior Blake Herring said. “Sports require physical as well as mental ability and its important to focus on both of them. If one of the sides isn’t as strong as the other, you’ll be off balanced and won’t play as well or you’ll tire yourself out and get distracted.”

However, concentrating on both has been a challenge to some.

“I would have to say you have to find a happy medium between the two for sure,” junior Blair Lang said. “It’s very difficult too, I haven’t been able to achieve that yet.”

Both elements seem to be just as important as the other to the majority of school.

“Thats how you’re gonna win,” former head women’s soccer coach Misty Benson said. “Having both equally balanced for your girls as individuals and as a team. You give them exercises, drills, combinations, that pushes them physically resulting in them pushing themselves mentally as well. Whether it be the time that it takes or the strenuous effort that’s required, both components are equally important to me.”

Even when training individually, students know to find a balance between attitude and performance.

“I know that my body is getting stronger and that I have to push myself both physically and mentally,” junior Noah Adler said. “When focusing on the physical side, it requires me to have proper form and then when I redirect my attention to the physical aspect, it helps me not to cheat a rep and stay on task. Mentally I know I have to stay tough and physically I know I need to not let my body give out. Both are critical to any athlete.”

Coaches as well as athletes tend to interlace both of these elements into their daily workouts.

“I think that if you have the right mindset you can achieve great things as a competitor,” Murad said. “In the end, that’s all that matters right?”