Saint Anselm Athletes Return for Preseason 2009

Summer vacation has come to a close for many Saint Anselm college athletes. All of our fall teams have moved into their dorms and apartments, as preseason 2009 has begun.

Starting in the beginning of August, each one of the fall teams moved in for their preseason activities. The first team, Cross Country, began their training at One Hundred Acres-a property owned by Saint Anselm in New Boston, N.H. The team spent their week  running through paths in the woods, on the beach, and through the back roads of New Hampshire.

"One Hundred Acres is all about building the culture of the team and establishing a running base," said Assistant Coach Michelle Massmann said. The team has now moved preseason back to Saint Anselm, and can be seen running and stretching all over campus.

The football team followed close behind–their preseason also began in early August. Nearly 50 freshmen showed up for tryouts this year, bringing the team roster to a total of 74 players. The early start was prompted by the August 29th home opener against Kutztown; the team has been training hard, and like all of our athletes, braving the sweltering heat.

The field hockey and soccer teams moved in just as the only heat wave of the summer overtook N.H. In addition to sweating through sprint workouts and drills, the teams were able to participate in fun activities outside the practice field. The women's soccer team enjoyed a few morning yoga sessions, while the field hockey team had a scavenger hunt and then made a trip to "Blake's" for ice cream.

Men's soccer has also been practicing hard this preseason. Their first game is August 29th against Dominican and like their fellow athletes have been working through the heat to hopefully bring a win home for the Hawks.

Although they have to suffer through grueling workouts and climbing temperatures, the athletes understand the importance of the preseason preparation.

Field hockey captain, Sara Griffin, cites the ability to focus solely on field hockey as one of the highlights. "I'm excited to be back on campus for preseason. I think it helps ease into the year better and I am able to build relationships with my teammates without any distractions."

To see photos of each of the fall teams at preseason, check out the Saint Anselm College Flickr photostream.