Most Lehigh students head home in the summer to unwind, but for the Lehigh football team, that’s when the real work begins.
The team is truly never in the off-season, preparing for months even before playing its first official game. The training, which is a time to push players to their limits and create team culture, has paid off, leading the Mountain Hawks to early success this season.
Senior defensive back Nicholas Peltekian said the shift to the summer season feels so natural because it directly follows spring football. He said the only difference is that there are fewer people on campus.
“It’s not really an adjustment coming from spring ball because you know what you’re getting your body into,” Peltekian said. “We run a lot during the summer and lift.”
Although the team practices all summer, the training increases in August in preparation for the upcoming season.
Starting on June 1, workouts intensify as the players stay on campus for the month. They’re allowed to leave the week of July 4th and then return to campus in mid-July. After that, they have some time off at the end of July before the training in August escalates prior to the season ahead.
Peltekian said the summer schedule is packed with meetings and practices.
The team wakes up at 6:30 a.m., with players expected to be at Rathbone Dining Hall to check in by 7 a.m. Injured players receive treatment at 8 a.m. with team meetings at 9:30 a.m., followed by practices running from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
In the evening, they lift, watch film and conduct a walkthrough. After dinner, they finish their day with a meeting that ends at 9:15 p.m.
Peltekian said the team repeats this schedule for 29 days.
Coach Kevin Cahill said for his team to succeed during the season, they have to put their all into every single hour of practice.
He said the four weeks in August are designed to drive the team to its maximum potential.
However, Cahill said that while pushing each player is essential, it can come with a cost.
“The challenging thing is making sure you have a balance with getting a lot of work done and staying healthy,” Cahill said. “This is what the four weeks are for, knowing how to play through whatever is hurting you and dealing with it.”
Cahill said it’s important for his players to know how to deal with injuries, and the training helps to prepare them for that. He also noted that preseason is all about the players getting into “football shape.”
Sophomore running back Jaden Green knows how hard this transition can be.
“The hardest adjustment into this season is having to balance work with school, watching films and also having to attend practice,” Green said.
Peltekian said preseason isn’t just about working hard in practice — it’s about building team bonds and fostering a strong culture.
Cahill said while effort and dedication on the field are demanded, creating relationships and team chemistry is equally important.
“August is the best time to build our culture when we’re the only ones here,” Cahill said. “It’s just us as a team, and we’re living in the same dorm and travelling on the buses together.”
The momentum from preseason has carried the Mountain Hawks to ride a 3-0 start to their season for the first time since 2013. On Saturday, they will take on Bucknell in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, hoping to continue that winning streak.
“We are spending a lot of time together,” Cahill said. “That’s the biggest growth we have each year for our players to get to know each other better.”
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