Postseason, probably the most critical time for a player’s development and also the toughest. The disappointment from the previous season and the expectations for the next season work as a powerful motivator, but it can also leave a player with added stress that sometimes even an hour in the weight room cannot fix.
This is even worse for players on junior varsity and freshman teams. Without a playoff system, many players are left with a sense of emptiness after months of weekly daily practices and upwards of two games a week. The season abruptly ends with no formalities, no packed house on senior night, and no celebration of their achievements. The only things they have left are their records, their division standings, and memories of a season that for many went by too quickly.
The next day players often report to the locker room and clear out their team lockers. There might be a short meeting with a coach, but after that players leave with an extra 15 hours a week in their schedule that was previously reserved for team meetings, practices, and games.
Most players then begin the offseason with expectations for the next year, but for some they know that their careers may soon end. Seniors often do not continue their sports and junior are faced with the goal of making varsity or not playing at all.
Those players are left without anything to occupy their time, because there is no point in improving your game if lack the opportunity to play on that level or any level ever again. Unfortunately there is no light at the end of the tunnel for these players, but that should not stop them from continuing their lives as students and individuals.