With many sports still in the midst of their seasons, many fall sports are in their offseason, preparing for their upcoming season.
To get ready for the upcoming season, many athletes start their offseason training and routines. Athletes get into their physical training, mental exercises and training camps that take place over the summer. Even though some athletes are not currently in season, being in the offseason allows them to prepare, get healthy and become motivated to make a bigger impact on their team next year.
Redshirt sophomore quarterback Chase Carter
The Ferris State football team finished its 2025 season 16-0 and capped it off by beating Harding 42-21 in the 2025 National Championship Game.
Carter got into what he and the football team do for offseason training.
“We usually lift four days a week,” Carter said. “We spend a lot of time focusing on building our bodies and getting stronger. Even in the spring, we’re still going very hard in the weight room, but we’re toning back just a bit so we’re healthy and going out to practice full speed. After spring, we’ll go into summer workouts where we’re able to do more conditioning, more speed workouts on the field, and run more routes.”
Like any sport, offseason training requires mental training as much as physical training.
Carter expressed the importance of not having mental errors during offseason training.
“One thing we did really good this past year was that we ran a lot of our plays right and there weren’t a lot of mistakes,” Carter said. “There wasn’t a lot of missed assignments and not a lot of setbacks due to missed assignments. So it’s a big thing in the offseason to watch a lot of film and make sure guys really know what they’re doing.”
Last season, Carter became a bigger contributor to the offense compared to his first season. He had 35 total touchdowns last season, while only having three total in his first year. He also increased his completion percentage from 56.3% to 61.2%, as well as going from 146 passing yards two seasons ago to 972 passing yards last season.
Despite the improving numbers, Carter believes he can achieve more.
“Being able to do what I did on the field, it showed me, not in an arrogant way, how much better I can be,” Carter said. “Last season will only make me better and more confident going into next season and that inspires me to work even harder. I think for guys who really want to be successful, it goes beyond the sport and asking yourself how much further can I take it.”
Redshirt freshman goalkeeper Korinne Ihrke
The Ferris State women’s soccer team finished their 2025 season with a 8-5-6 overall record and 8-3-3 GLIAC conference record.
Ihrke got into what the soccer team is doing for offseason training, considering that last year’s team was packed with a lot of seniors.
“Right now we’re doing a lot of rebuilding because last year we were a very senior team, and this year we have basically hacked the team as freshmen becoming sophomores,” Ihrke said. “There is a lot to figure out with our defense, as well as how our transitioning looks, so we just have to make sure we are coordinated and make sure our team is on the same page.” We’re doing a lot of running and we do competitive obstacles involving cones and ladders, which you have to work with a few teammates to put a puzzle together. We’re starting that build-up right now instead of starting that build-up in preseason, like in August.”
While the soccer team is currently in the offseason, they have spring games that allow them to play against other competition. So far, the team has played spring games against Cleary University and Midwest United FC GA. They have three spring games remaining against Toledo, Detroit Mercy and Northwood.
Ihrke expressed how the spring games have been essential to the entire team’s offseason.
“Playing against yourself, there’s only so much that you can improve on,” Ihrke said. “Having these spring games has helped us see different competition other than just ourselves. I think we’re working really, really hard right now and we should be ready by the time we play opponents.”
Ihrke is coming off a career-defining season where she started all 19 games and averaged 88.17 minutes per game. She had a total of 75 saves, having a save rate of 81.5% and averaged 3.95 saves per game.
Ihrke talked about how coming off a great season has motivated her to do better next season.
“It only makes me want to keep doing better and keep my position on the field,” Ihrke said. Coach Hansen usually says it’s like starring in the role that you have and playing for the role you want and like, so I can continue to compete with the other goalkeepers that are training beside me, and they can only continue to try to raise the standard. That only makes me more excited to keep playing.”
The football team will kick off their 2026 season on Aug. 27, at Pittsburg State and the soccer team will start their preseason on August. 10.