Kelsey Ackerman | Sports Co-Editor

Every year come March, fall sports get a short amount of time, usually 7-10 practices, that they consider their spring season.

Sports that participate in spring seasons at Buena Vista University (BVU) are: football, volleyball, women’s soccer, and men’s soccer.

The teams use this time in order to gear up for their summer offseason and to make sure they know what they need to work on moving forward towards their actual season.

Senior volleyball player as well as Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) MVP, Maddie Bardole, has just finished up her final spring season.

“It really allows us to get the rust off from having a break after fall season and gives us time to focus on the little things we couldn’t take too much time to focus on during season,” Bardole said.

The teams have also been able to work hard off the field or court on their own and as a team to get better following their fall seasons.

“It’s a great opportunity to get out on the field and see the results from the work we’re all putting in in our offseason,” sophomore defensive end Brady Illg said.

The spring season gives the teams a time to see how their work in the weight room and work with strength and conditioning coach, Coach Ryder, are paying off.

“Coach Ryder has done an incredible job of pushing us to be the strongest we’ve been, and seeing the results is an awesome feeling. We have made huge improvements both physically and mentally,” Bardole said.

In Division III, there are no spring games, but just practices for the teams. This gives the teams more time to only focus on themselves, and not their opponents.

“Spring season has no pressure of pre-game practice or scouting our opponents. It’s strictly to focus on getting in the gym, working your hardest, and getting out,” Bardole said.

Overall, the teams use these spring seasons to focus on themselves in order to excel over their opponents.

Photo by Elisabeth Niebuhr