Northwestern University Athletics
With Fall Comes Phase II For The #B1GCats
10/29/2014 12:00:00 AM | Softball
Follow @NU_Sports
By Kristin Jensen
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Fresh off an hour lift in the weight room early on a Tuesday morning in October, 21 members of Northwestern's softball team enter the Trienens Hall turf room just as the sun begins to rise in Evanston. Half of the squad steps to blocking sleds normally used in football drills while the other half lie on their stomachs nearby, ready to rise to a body plank position.
This is the start of what has become a celebrated part of the program's off-season training. The team calls it Phase II, and it is a grueling nine-week regimen of physically demanding workouts to prepare the squad for its trademark tough schedule in the spring.
"Phase II pushes you to your outer limits that you aren't aware of unless you test them," said senior infielder Anna Edwards. "I think that if Phase II weren't a part of our program, we would underachieve because we wouldn't fully know what our bodies and minds are capable of. It also brings the team together. Suffering together is one of the most effective bonding experiences."
A signal sounds, and the players at the sleds start pushing, driving their legs to move to the 20-yard line and back. Cheers from the planking group erupt from the end zone, echoing off the walls of indoor facility. When the sled push is complete, that same group begins to sprint; first to the five-yard line and back, then to the 10-yard line and back, and finally to the 20-yard line and back. The chorus of encouraging yells from the end zone is deafening and the shared energy is electric.
When the sled group crosses back into the end zone, they do not allow themselves to bend over and catch their breath. On this team, you never put your hands on your knees. Standing tall, the groups trade places. The team will do this circuit three times -- each one harder than the last -- but by the time they are finished, their voices will have not lost a decibel.
The `Cats arrive at Ryan Field at 6 a.m. four mornings each week during Phase II for an assortment of runs and lifts. The regimen gets its name from Head Coach Kate Drohan, who splits each year into phases, with the culmination of the team's fall ball games signaling an end to Phase I. This year, however, Phase II will look a lot different than it has in past years. Specially designed by Assistant Director of Sports Performance Tyler Jorgensen, no two workouts are the same and yoga has been integrated twice a week for optimal recovery. Even Edwards, who is a senior, says she "doesn't know what to expect" with the staff's "new twists."
"We want our team to be resilient, tough and ready for the unexpected," said Drohan. "The variety of Phase II this year-- both physically and mentally-- is a big focus for us. We are looking to establish our `team mentality' in these workouts through our approach, competitiveness and camaraderie."
Phase II is about setting goals and reaching them; it is about preparing a player's body and mind for any type of curve ball during the regular season. In softball, one swing can change a game; Phase II sets up each and every `Cat to have success when presented with that opportunity. The sport is integrated into the training in unique ways. If the team is scheduled to run six 150-yard sprints during the sixth week, for example, Drohan might send the squad into "extra innings," calling for one or two extra sprints. And even though Phase II might look different this year than it has in previous seasons, one familiar milestone has remained: by the end of these nine weeks, the entire team will run 10 150-yard sprints, each under 35 seconds.
"Phase II teaches us mental toughness, teamwork and hard work," said redshirt junior pitcher Amy Letourneau. "It gives us something to lean on as a backbone when things get hard during season. I think it molds us into the team we are when we take the field in February."
Over the nine weeks, the `Cats will continuously increase their numbers in the weight room as they prepare for "Max-Out Week," the final week of the regimen when the team maxes out in hang cleans, squats, pull-ups, and the list goes on. For an elite group of players, Max-Out Week also presents the opportunity to join the "Two-Plate Club," a sisterhood of Northwestern Softball players who are able to squat 225 lb., or a bar with two 45-lb. plates on each side. It is not uncommon for the entire squad to surround a teammate's rack while she's maxing out, cheering loud enough to be heard in downtown Evanston. Last year, members of Northwestern's football team even joined in on the excitement, encircling active racks with thunderous encouragement.
Phase II also includes "Competition Friday," in which the squad splits into two teams on Friday mornings to go head-to-head in exercises like tug-o-war, tire flips and sled pushes. Some days, the competitions are replaced by ultimate football, described by junior infielder Brianna LeBeau as "a great way to work up a sweat while getting a little bit physical." This year, Drohan plans to incorporate the competition aspect into other weekday workouts as well.
But Phase II is not just about physical and mental strength. It is also a time for the `Cats to bond off the field through team outings and position dinners. The squad even has an annual tradition of dressing up with a group theme on Halloween.
Phase II creates opportunities for Northwestern Softball teams to rise to a challenge with tenacity and vigor, whether it's a sled, a squat rack or the Halloween theme vote. If this past Tuesday is any indication, this year's team is on their way:
"On Tuesday, everyone pushed themselves," said LeBeau. "Sometimes it seemed as though you were running as fast as you could with those sleds, but you weren't actually moving. But everyone pushed through, and we all finished strong. Let's just say there were a lot of people cold-tubbing after that workout!"
••••••
Be the first to know what's going on with the 'Cats -- Follow @NU_Sports on Twitter and Instagram, become a fan of Northwestern Athletics on Facebook and sign up to receive promotional text alerts for the latest news, schedule updates and video and to interact with NU. For more information on following specific Northwestern teams online, visit our Social Media page!
