When athletes reach a certain level of performance, the hard work they have to put in to maintain it can be even greater than the initial effort. Their routine, their preparation, work outside of school and their diet all play important roles in their success.

Varsity senior cross country and track athlete Grant Jones knows about the importance of having good influences and keeping a consistent routine. Jones committed to Cedarville University for running.

“The biggest challenge I have dealt with is determining what works best for me,” Jones said. “Conditioning for races can be a very individual thing which means it is open-ended.”

Jones understands that performing at a high level comes with a lot more than just simple training. He has worked tirelessly in mornings and evenings to put in the miles that would eventually lead him to be successful.

“Training is rigorous, to say the least,” Jones said. “Balancing intensity is important which is the key to a successful season due to the long season length.”

Having competed at this level for many years, Jones reflects on what helped him get here.

“My mom has had the biggest influence on my performance,” Jones said. “She has guided me through training and supported me in every way imaginable.”

While runners have to spend hours on the trails or on the track, adding mileage to their resume, basketball players have a very different challenge to face. The hours in the gym, shooting and dribbling, can get tedious. Varsity point guard junior Delaney White realizes that her preparation is the main thing that leads to her success.

“I think the main thing I try to do is be consistent with my routine, I know what I need to do to feel good in order to play well,” White said. “I make sure I have everything I need and that I am prepared for games.”

The learning does not just happen off the court. White utilizes on-court situations to learn and add to her repertoire. However, when something she has been working on finally clicks in game, the feeling is different.

“There have been moments when you just feel really good while you are playing,” White said. “Of course, it is something you have to work on, you are not always going to feel that way but you have to strive for that.”

For White, becoming a star basketball player required going above and beyond in her preparation and establishing a certain mindset.

“My preparation is different from others,” White said. “It is because of my mindset and my goals for myself and my team.”

Diet can be just as important as the gym hours and miles on the track. This is especially true for swimmers like sophomore Pablo Ingrum. As a varsity athlete, Ingrum makes sure to monitor his diet and take special precautions before races.

“For swim meets I make sure to eat healthy and consume lots of carbs,” Ingrum said. “I go into it believing I can do good and that I am ready to race people.”

As a very competitive swimmer, Ingrum pushes himself to the brink in both practice and races.

“My practice has made me successful because I always try to make the most out of what we are doing,” Ingrum said. “If I have a chance to build better habits I take it.”

Ingrum’s main reason for going all in on practice is to simulate what the races look like. However, when he gets ready for his heat, his mindset evolves.

“My mindset going into races is that I should always do my best and that I can always push myself further than I think,” Ingrum said. “This might not work for everyone, but I am very competitive and am always looking to race the person next to me.”

Ingrum takes bits and pieces from others to create his perfect racing formula. He realizes that he has a lot to learn from coaches and swimmers and tries to soak up as much as he can.

“I think my club coach has had the biggest influence on my athletic career because he is the one who trains me every single day,” Ingrum said. “Also, my teammate Eliiot has taught me a lot about how he races. I enjoy learning a lot from different people and trying new things to see if they work for me as well.”

While Ingrum has faced many challenges along his journey, his goal has never changed.

“My goal is to swim for college, hopefully Division I,” Ingrum said. “I love this sport so much and it has taught me so much about myself and it is always there for me.”

Athletes that look to compete at higher levels always spend more hours training. Remember, practice makes progress and they practice as much as they can.