Burnet Lady Dawgs draw 55 for strength and conditioning

The Burnet High School athletics department began its seven-week summer strength-and-conditioning program June 6. The Bulldogs and Lady Dawgs’ sessions begin at 8 a.m. Monday-Thursday.

Girls athletics coordinator Rick Gates noted the first day drew 55 Lady Dawgs, a number that encouraged him.

“I think it’s a good number for sure with our outgoing seniors and incoming freshmen,” he said. “We always want more. Several girls contacted us to let us know ‘I’m going to miss this first week.’ It’s a little bit of a transition.”

Because the boys and girls begin their sessions at 8 a.m., the Bulldogs are in the weight room first, while the Lady Dawgs are at Bulldog Field where they’re conditioning. The conditioning drills are designed to increase the athlete’s natural jumping and speed.

“Our primary objective is that we’re working them to get quicker and faster,” the athletics coordinator said. “We have jumping exercises, we do small hurdles work, short-line sprints and all those things to get quicker, faster and more explosive.”

Then the two groups switch venues. Gates pointed out that each day, weight lifting is geared toward the upper or lower body. So if the Lady Dawgs work on upper body one day, they’ll switch to lower body lifts the next.

“We’ll mix it up during the summer,” he said.

He noted the exercises and lifting sessions aren’t sport-specific, which is done on purpose.

“Some of the universal things we do are good for any athlete in any sport,” he said. “All spring and into the summer, we’ve had a lot of wind. In the morning, there’s wind so it isn’t so hot. It’s not so bad out.”

In addition, thanks to a rule change by the University Interscholastic League, athletes have one hour a day where they can work on a specific sport with coaches. The UIL made the rule change because of Covid-19 stay-at-home orders in 2020.

Burnet’s strength-and-conditioning sessions are scheduled for each week in June. After the athletes have the Fourth of July week off, they’ll return to strength and condition July 11 for the next three weeks.

“We’re always telling them ‘enjoy your vacation, go to summer camps. But when you’re in town, come out here and work out with us for an hour and a half,'” Gates said. “This is a little more laid back than the school year. We want the kids to enjoy it and being around us and being around each other. That number (55) is a good number. I think it’ll be a success.”

In other news, the Lampass Summer Basketball League began June 6, and the Lady Dawgs summer basketball team went 2-0. Burnet defeated Marble Falls by four points and San Saba at about eight points.

What’s even more impressive is the Lady Dawgs had only six players available for the contests. They are juniors MaeSyn Gay and Zaria Solis and seniors Abi Aguillon, Kendall Bible, Grace Gates and Danielle Oakley.

“They did a great job,” the athletics coordinator said. “I was thrilled to see them play hard and find a way to win.”

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