Inside the Cundey Varsity House on Lehigh’s Goodman Campus, the men’s rowing team cheer each other on as they finish the last reps of their bench press sets during their 6 a.m. lift.
Outside the double doors, on Ulrich Field, with the frigid air whipping past them, the field hockey team completes the final sprints of their morning practice.
For most teams, Lehigh student athletes attack their workouts and practices all before the sun rises.
6 a.m. lifts or practices are common for student athletes and many see them as a rite of passage for Division I athletes.
The shared experience of these athletes, regardless of sport, create a special bond between each team, though the debate remains if early morning lifts and practices are actually beneficial.
All student athletes are faced with the demands of excelling in their sport and their coursework, which requires discipline and time management to make happen. The common principle behind morning practice is that it instills discipline and accountability.
Jordan Wood, a former Lehigh wrestler and current strength and conditioning coach, said the long-term benefits morning practices had in his own wrestling career still apply today.
“Those early workouts, I didn’t like them because it meant I had to be more disciplined, which helped me in the long run…for academics and athletics is one of the best things to keep you disciplined and productive,” Wood said.
As his role has shifted from player to coach, he has begun to focus more on how to build a strong team bond so early in the morning. Wood finds the biggest advantage of early sessions is having the entire team completely present.
“Being able to operate as a full unit together, even if it’s in the morning, is going to help build team chemistry and you might see people not be at their happiest or greatest. So being able to work with and motivate them through those hard moments can really present an awesome opportunity for team growth.” Wood said.
Lehigh football coach Kevin Cahill also echoes the ideal of teaching accountability through morning practice.
By teaching his players life skills like time management and responsibility, Cahill and his coaching staff can implement skills the players will use long after their time at Lehigh.
“I think the advantages are you’re going to get up and you’re going to start your day in a positive way. You are teaching them life lessons of being accountable, setting their time the right way, making sure they are going to bed early enough so they get up [on time],” Cahill said..
Adjusting to early morning practices can be challenging for many student-athletes, especially when they are transitioning between being in and out of season. First year Lehigh field hockey forward Aubrey Ide had her own challenges adapting to the early morning practices.
“It’s definitely a lot more than I thought it was going to be…especially because some are morning and some are afternoons,” Ide said. “I think morning practices are beneficial because I have the afternoon to be productive. However, without a good routine, morning practices really affect my sleep schedule, which then affects my learning and sports performance.”
Student athletes’ opinions on morning practices differ, but several have said that by implementing morning workouts into their daily routines, they create more structure for themselves.
Although faced with the challenges of morning practices, student athletes continue to show their determination, tenacity and dedication to their sports as they attack their workouts and academics. The life skills student athletes attain through morning practices are transferable into life post-sports and Lehigh.
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