Summer time does not necessarily mean vacation time for Yuma High School student athletes.
Multiple teams are getting in work during summer vacation in preparation for the 2023-24 seasons.
Some teams have just wrapped up their summer work, while others are just getting started.
The wrestling coaches are hosting an open mat each Thursday evening. Coach Kyle Newton said he took several grapplers to a camp last week, where they got in plenty of good work.
The girls team participated in a camp at CSU-Mesa. There were three different camps, and some of the wrestlers went to all three camps, which was a total of 10 days of wrestling. Coach Brandon Newton said they also have been practicing a couple of days each week, and now are getting in the weight room each morning during the week.
YHS’s boys basketball players participated in five camps in June. Yuma hosted the first one in early June, then went to Akron, Limon, Gold Crown in Denver, and then Frontier Academy in Greeley. Coach Dave Sheffield said they now are having workouts and weights in the mornings during the week.
Yuma’s girl basketball players had open gyms three nights per week throughout June. Coach Jeremy Robinson and staff took the players to team camps at University of Northern Colorado and Colby, Kansas.
“The participation was fantastic,” Robinson reported. “We did some really good things this summer as a team. I feel everyone improved on their roles for this upcoming season.”
Now many of the girls’ attention turns to volleyball. Coach Jamie Robinson reported that open gyms began this week. They are going to a camp this week in Alamosa. Next week, three teams are going to a team camp in Strasburg for two days, and then two teams will go to Wiggins for a one-day team camp.
The final two weeks of July will be open gym time.
Some YHS track and field have been participating in the USA Track and Field circuit. Assistant coach Jim Powell said there are a few Yuma kids, along with others from throughout the area, that have been participating on the circuit, which includes six meets through September.
YHS football has been getting its work done in the weight room this summer. The team will be getting busier with work on the field with a mini-camp next week, then go to the Western State team camp next weekend.
Now that we are into July, it is not that long until preseason practice begins on August 7.
