The summer months are often filled with exciting times: kicking back with old high school buds, road trips to see friends from Fairfield, days and weeks spent at the shore living the G.T.L. routine, concerts to party at, and boring internships that are so crucial for beefing up a resume.
However, while the life of relaxation is in full swing for most Fairfield students, many of the school’s student-athletes are hard at work preparing for the upcoming year.
All of the university’s fall sports return early to begin team training before the remainder of the school returns to our sweet little corner of Connecticut.
I interviewed a few of these fall athletes to learn a little more about the preseason training lifestyle.
The interviewees included: Howie Rosas, a freshman on the cross country team; Brianna Dixion, a sophomore on the women’s volleyball team; Caitlin O’Donnell, a junior on the field hockey team, and Todd Rutledge, a senior on the men’s soccer team.
Howie Rosas (Freshman) Cross Country:
How often were preseason practices and when did they begin?
Practice started on August 22nd with a two mile time trial as conditioning testing. Double session training, approximately two hours a session are the norm with Coach Sagnelli.
Being a freshman, was there a difficult transition into the collegiate lifestyle with the added demands of running?
When I showed up on campus for preseason, the team did an awesome job bringing us in and we got right into training. It was great to know if any of the freshmen had a problem with anything the team would help immediately.
What was your most difficult workout in preseason?
We did over 90 miles in the first week we arrived on campus, but the hardest workout was a repeat mile workout in which each set consists of two miles in about 13 minutes for rest and a mile hard that was anywhere between 5:23 to 5:08. We did three sets of this followed by a mile cool down.
What are you most excited for this upcoming season?
I am undoubtedly most excited for MAAC Championships (Oct. 29th at Hammonasset Park in Madison, CT). I chose Fairfield over other schools to make us a contender in conference and place in the top three.
Brianna Dixion (Sophomore) Volleyball:
How often were preseason practices and when did they begin?
We got to school August 8th and had double session practices everyday except Sunday. The practices totaled to about 6 hours per day.
Your team lost three time All-MAAC First Teamer Katie Mann, how can you go about replacing her, both individually and as a team?
Katie was always good about lighting a fire under the rest of the team. Winning wasn’t just a possibility, it was going to happen. As a team we need to find a way to get that attitude back. Individually, I can just lead by example, if I can score points then that can trigger the entire team’s success.
What was your most difficult workout in preseason?
Testing with Strength and Conditioning Coach Spellman was the hardest part of preseason. It’s ten 100 yard sprints in under 15 seconds with 30 seconds rest. It’s mentally tough, more than anything, especially freshman year when you don’t know what’s coming.
What are you most excited for this upcoming season?
Making the NCAA tournament. The past two years we’ve won the MAAC regular season, but lost in the MAAC tournament. That can’t happen again this year, so I’m most excited to have a chance and win MAACs (Nov. 18th at Disney Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, FL)!
Caitlin O’Donnell (Junior) Field Hockey:
How often were preseason practices and when did they begin?
We got to school August 15th, and had practice twice a day, for a total of six hours, until our first scrimmage against Quinnipiac.
Last year your team won almost 40 percent more games when scoring at least two goals. This year your first victory came in a game when Fairfield scored two goals. What can be done on the defensive side to help the offense’s attack?
We need to have better communication amongst each other and to try harder to push up in back to be able to play a more offensive game.
What was your most difficult workout in preseason?
The very first day we had testing with Coach Spellman, a scrimmage, more testing, and then another scrimmage. It was definitely the hardest day because our coaches are being more disciplinary than in the past.
What are you most excited for this upcoming season?
Our game against Sacred Heart (Sept. 10th at Sacred Heart in Fairfield, CT) is definitely going to be the most exciting. We beat them last year and there’s a strong rivalry growing between the two teams because we’re both from the same town.
Todd Rutledge (Senior) Soccer:
How often were preseason practices and when did they begin?
We got to campus on August 18th and had practice twice a day until school began. We had two preseason matches in that time against Farleigh Dickinson and Quinnipiac.
The first seven games of the year are on campus this season. Do you think that gives your team an advantage in regard to the whole season?
Yes. Playing at home is always an advantage, especially with having a big supporting crowd. Not having to travel in a bus also helps us better prepare for games by allowing us to rest and get better pregame meals.
What was your most difficult workout in preseason?
The hardest workout in preseason was the fitness testing with Coach Mark Spellman. It consisted of a one mile run, followed by a 300 meter shuttle run, then an agility test and finished off with as many 100 yard sprints you can do in 15 seconds with 45 seconds rest. After each set of ten, the rest time goes down.
What are you most excited for this upcoming season?
The MAAC season. As a senior I want to win the MAAC again and play in the NCAA tournament one more time. I’m also looking forward to playing some top teams like Boston College (Sept. 14th, 7pm, at Lessing Field on campus)!
Head to fairfieldstags.com for schedules, coverage and results of all Fairfield varsity sports.
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