With the winter sports season soon to begin, many students are beginning to try out and train for the season.

Cam Mills, an athletic trainer at South, explained that if students want to try out for the winter season, they should start training as soon as possible.

“Get working now on your conditioning,” Mills said. “Even if it’s going outside for a run here or there”

Mills also stressed the importance of training properly for each sport, to reduce the chance of injury. Improper training could lead to an athlete being unable to compete for part of or even the entirety of a season.

“Inherently, there is that risk in sports,” Mills said. “But as long as you follow [the right training steps] those risks are minimized greatly.”

Mills mentioned how knowing the proper way to practice is crucial. One of the ways to have a good practice session and not get injured is to not overwork while practicing.

“Proper conditioning is crucial and being able to listen to your body,” Mills said. “If your body is saying that you need to stop and just rest for a little bit, then you listen to your body.”