ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Michigan water polo team took an extended break from practice to focus on finals and then for the holiday break.
When they came back from spending the holidays with family and friends it was back to business. Head coach Dr. Marcelo Leonardi put the team through three grueling days of multiple practices adding up to 22 hours total.
“Obviously 22 hours is a long time,” said junior Allison Skaggs. “We calculated it out and we were playing more water polo in a day than we were sleeping. It was hard but that’s what it was designed for.”
The team went through three practices totaling eight hours on both Sunday and Monday and ended with two three-hour sessions on Tuesday.
“We definitely lost track of what day it was and what time it was,” said senior captain Kelly Martin. “It is definitely emotionally and physically draining but it was for the good of the team coming off break and needing to get everyone back into shape.”
Last season the team went through a similar training camp in terms of length of practice time, but in Leonardi’s second year he felt much more comfortable with the conditioning of the team and made the 2016 camp much more focused on water polo specific practices.
“I think we got a kickstart by doing that,” said Skaggs. “We were expecting to get pounded with weight belts, weight walls and swim sets but instead were surprised with water polo being the emphasis of the training camp.”
The attitude of the team remained positive throughout the three days and 22 hours of practicing. Even in the last drill of the training period, the team was joking around with each other in the pool and being extremely competitive trying to win a 6-on-5 drill.
“Everyone was in high spirits and tried to have fun with it because we all have an appreciation for the sport,” said Martin.
The 2016 season starts in a just over two weeks at the UCSB Invitational Jan. 22-24. In the next two weeks, the Wolverines are looking to carry on the work put in over the last three days and continue to tighten everything up as a team.
“Unity and cohesion is our main emphasis,” said Skaggs. “At this point in the season we all have the water polo IQ to carry us to success and will continue to put in time conditioning.”
Classes start today (Jan. 6) for the Michigan students and the water polo team has received a much deserved day off. At the conclusion of practice on Tuesday, Leonardi told the team, “I don’t have to tell you what our emphasis on academics is. It is a high priority.”
Swimming news courtesy of Michigan Water Polo.
