Next year will be an ex­citing time for senior athletes. Throughout the following year, many athletes will com­mit to colleges where they will play varsity sports. In order for current junior athletes to get to that point, it’s important for them to have a productive summer by practicing their sport and working hard.

Jill Pfeifer, a current senior and lacrosse player who committed to Colorado Mesa University, has some advice on how to stay in game shape during those dog days of sum­mer. In order to stay fit, Jill’s coach gave her a workout packet at the end of the school year, which involved going to the gym everyday.

That does not mean Jill worked out by herself all sum­mer. She played pickup games at Burns Park with other mem­bers of the Massapequa la­crosse team. Along with the school team, Jill played for her summer lacrosse team, the Long Island Wave. Addition­ally, Jill participated in seven tournaments throughout the summer. However, one should not be alarmed by Jill’s hectic schedule. “I went to the beach and slept as much as I could,” Jill said.

Visiting Colorado Mesa University was one of the highlights of Jill’s summer. She stayed for a weekend to get a feel for the campus, but more importantly, she played with the current members of the lacrosse team during a practice session. College visits are a vital part to the college decision making process, es­pecially if one plans on play­ing a varsity sport.

While it can be tempting to take the summer off, Jill’s busy summer leading up to se­nior year helped to prepare her for her college playing career.

“There is nothing I want more than to win,” Jill said. “It is the greatest feeling in the world to have all your hard work pay off.”