• Home
• Roster
• Schedule \ Results
• News
• Archives

Kate Benz flashes a smile during the Pacific-10 Conference Women's Basketball Media Day, Oct. 26, at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

Past Entries   • November 1, 2004   • November 17, 2004   • December 7, 2004   • December 27, 2004   • January 20, 2005   • February 1, 2005   • February 22, 2005   • March 10, 2005   • July 19, 2005   • August 29, 2005   • October 4, 2005   • October 21, 2005   • November 14, 2005   • November 21, 2005   • December 6, 2005   • January 6, 2006   • January 23, 2006   • February 22, 2006   • June 30, 2006   • July 27, 2006   • September 5, 2006   • October 24, 2006   • December 14, 2006   • January 22, 2007   • February 16, 2007

Washington State senior Kate Benz kicks off the 2006-07 season of Kate's Chronicles as she continues to share her experiences with the Cougar women's basketball team. The forward from Portland, Ore., chronicled life as a Cougar during both her sophomore and junior seasons and will continue her accounts throughout her senior year. Please visit www.wsucougars.com for access to current and past entries.

September 5, 2006

Nothing acknowledges the speed at which days pass like the flipping of a calendar from August to September.

However cliché it may sound, it seems like just yesterday we were hosting the recruits who now make up our freshmen class. Now just like that, we're in the thick of preseason conditioning with the newcomers. Five days a week, we have multiple activities to get us in shape. This is definitely the most difficult time of year for a collegiate basketball player.

When chatting with friends or teachers, a common misconception is that we're just working out to pass the time until official practices begin in October. On the contrary, the specifics of basketball are broken down into various activities, all preparing us to be in the best condition once the "official" practice date arrives.

From team meetings to individual workouts with our position coaches, to open gym and weights and conditioning with our strength coach, we certainly look forward to resting on the weekends. Add to all of this the stress of 12 or 15 credits of class, not to mention the extracurriculars like clubs and study groups, and one can begin to imagine what being busy looks like.

The first couple of weeks are certainly the most strenuous because we're not in a routine yet, and every single day seems to be totally different from the last. Once everyone gets familiar with the schedule of workouts, coaches' styles, and managing classes, we can get more comfortable with each other on the court. It is hard to focus on handling all these tasks right away, especially for the new members of our team. I shouldn't say especially, however, because I am a senior, and I called home crying after the first day of school saying, "What am I going to do? This year is going to be so hard!"

Sure things are difficult right now, but the rewards of putting in plenty of time in the preseason are innumerable. Being in game-ready shape, staying healthy, and being able to balance a hectic lifestyle are just a few of the benefits of being a diligent student-athlete. After just two weeks, the future is already looking bright for the new season of Cougar women's basketball, and I can't wait to share more as the weeks progress.