On game day, the crowd sees star athletes leave everything on the court, field or course. They see the determination and skill that the players use to defeat the opposing team. What they don’t see, however, is all the behind-the-scenes work that the athletes put in on a daily basis.

While most of us were at home sleeping in or watching TV this summer, many athletes were already here at school, conditioning for their upcoming season. Unfortunately for a few, injury had sidelined them before they could even begin.

 Most spectators can’t truly appreciate the hours of practice that athletes put in until they realize what these athletes actually do on a daily basis. For some sports like football, this time includes spending hours a day in the weight rooms and out on the field. Players going to practice over the summer attend conditioning, weights, camps, scrimmages, as well as normal drills and practice.

 While other sports may not be practicing for as many hours as football, the athletes still put in a lot of work. Cross country athletes put in between four and twelve miles a day, usually running a majority of the miles in the heat of the afternoon.

 However, for some, the long hours put in over the summer may feel a bit pointless. Many fall athletes have already experienced an injury that has taken them out of the game. Levi Hunter and Brady Mays know all too well the feeling of watching from the sidelines.

 Levi, a JV Cross Country runner, hurt himself just a week before the school year started.

Referring to a popular running trail that the team often uses, he told us “I rolled my ankle running on Donner Trail going downhill. I twisted and badly sprained it.”

He will be out for at least three weeks, but even once he’s back he still isn’t sure if he will be able to compete.

Brady is out for a bit longer.He will be out for twelve weeks. He injured himself  “during a drill where 2 people would be running, and they threw up the ball and we would go up and get it. Me and the other guy were going up to get the ball and he stepped on my ankle and it broke.”

It is easy to imagine the disappointment that these athletes are feeling as they bide their time and anticipate their return to the game, One thing is for sure — never underestimate the dedication and work that athletes put in to be their best.