RHS Fall Sports Pre-Season
While most students are enjoying their summer, fall athletes at Riverbend High School are already hard at work preparing for the upcoming Fall season. These students are spending their mornings and afternoons training, conditioning, and staying in shape. From football to cheer, these teams are already putting in the work to make sure that they are ready when the season kicks off.
One of the teams that has stood out this summer has been the Football team. Players have been consistently showing up for workouts and practices. Rising Sophomore Adrien Picot described what a typical day of off-season conditioning looks like.
“A typical day for the team includes a dynamic warm-up starting with stretches and light jobs to warm up their muscles,” Picot stated.
After that, they split up into two groups (JV and Varsity). Varsity goes to the weight room first, where they’ve been doing circuits to keep their heart rates up. While JV is on the field working on technique and plays, after an hour, they switch.
Picot reflects on the summer so far, which consists of youth camps, 7-on-7 scrimmages, and opportunities to fine-tune skills. “Our most recent scrimmage was at Norfolk State University, where we won their first annual 7-on-7 championship,” he said.
Additionally, Picot recently participated in the Spotsy Cougars Youth Football Camp, where he and his fellow teammates taught younger athletes the basics of the game. “It was a great experience, we split up into position groups, taught the kids some drills, and told them about ourselves at the end,” Picot stated.
While off-season conditioning and scrimmages have been a big part of preparing for the upcoming fall season, Picot shares what he’s enjoyed so far this summer. “My highlight of the offseason has been truly fine-tuning my craft to be the best I can be while competing and bonding with my teammates,” Picot said.
While the football athletes have been focused on improving their game and building team chemistry, the cheer team has also been working hard this summer, preparing to bring support to the sidelines this fall.
Torrianna Johnson, a rising junior, shared what the team’s offseason has looked like.
“Our practices usually start with jogging around the parking lot and doing dynamic stretches to target all the major muscle groups. We do strength training like push-ups, squats, lunges, and endurance exercises like sprinting and burpees. We also spend time focusing on technique and coordination, for example, like jump kicks, which allow us to focus on our form,” Johnson stated.
RHS
Beyond training and conditioning, the cheerleaders have been busy this summer with fundraisers and events that benefit the community, like camps. The team has hosted a “Bear Cub Camp” which lasted from July 28th-30th, where over 100 young campers learned cheers, chants, stunting, and tumbling. Campers also have the opportunity to perform at a varsity football game alongside the RHS cheerleaders.
“Fundraisers are actually a big part of the offseason. We use Snap Raise, which helps sports teams raise funds quickly from people donating (usually family and friends).” Johnson said.
On July 26th, the cheer team hosted their annual car wash at the Panera by Chancellors Crossing. Previously, they had a vendor sale on July 12th where they raised a total of $4,300.
Johnson said, “The highlight of my offseason has been simply getting to know my team better, the stunting, prep we do for the upcoming pep rally, and having the opportunity to work with new people.” She admires the welcoming community and the strong support system she has.
Fall athletes at Riverbend have put in a lot of work this past summer. From football practices and youth camps to cheer conditioning and fundraisers, these students are doing a lot on and off the field and court. They’re building strong teams and making a significant impact in the community.
With the season coming up soon, all their hard work is going to show. It’s looking like a promising fall season ahead for our fall athletes.
