Labor Day Grind: High School Teams Hit the Field Early

Labor Day in most of New England feels like a brief vacation – BBQs, baseball games, and a chance to sleep in. But for a handful of high school athletes, the long weekend meant lace‑up, stretch, and hit the turf before the official season even began.

At Westford High, the boys’ soccer squad rolled out a 90‑minute session at 9 a.m. on Saturday. Coach Martinez emphasized possession drills, insisting the kids “play out of the back” just as they’d do in the upcoming state tournament. Senior captain Alex Peterson, who recently celebrated his 200th varsity goal, led a small‑sided scrimmage that ended with a 3‑2 scoreline in his favor. “It’s not about winning the practice,” Peterson joked, “it’s about keeping the rhythm going after a month off.”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the state, Granby Field Hockey girls convened at the high school’s artificial turf for a conditioning circuit that combined sprint intervals with stick‑handling drills. Head coach Lisa Haines, a former collegiate All‑American, told reporters she wanted the team “physically and mentally ready” to chase the title they missed last season. Freshman forward Maya Liu surprised everyone with a ten‑yard dash that shaved a full second off her personal best.

In Stamford, the boys’ basketball team took advantage of the empty gym for a light‑shooting session. Senior point guard Jamal Williams shot 30 free throws, missing only three. “It’s easy to get lazy when the crowd’s gone,” Williams said, “so we just keep the noise in our heads.” The team also ran a full‑court press drill that left the freshman squad gasping for air, but Coach Delgado said the intensity was exactly what they needed.

Not all teams opted for full‑blown workouts. The Portsmouth girls’ volleyball squad gathered for a brief 45‑minute skill clinic, focusing on serve‑receive patterns. Freshman setter Zoe Martinez earned a “player of the day” shout‑out after delivering six perfect sets in a drill that mimicked game pressure.

Across the river in Riverside, the track & field coaches organized a mixed‑age “Holiday Hustle” – a series of relay races that mixed seniors with middle‑schoolers. The highlight? Senior sprinter Andre Nguyen clocked a personal best of 11.2 seconds in the 100‑meter dash, beating his own school record despite the early hour.

Even the wrestling team at Easton High got in a morning mat session. The seniors worked on takedown drills while the younger wrestlers focused on conditioning circuits. Assistant coach Carla Mendoza noted that “the energy in the gym was infectious; the kids fed off each other’s drive.”

All told, these early‑season workouts served a dual purpose: they kept athletes in shape after a month of summer break and built camaraderie before the official season kick‑off on Tuesday. As the headlines for the fall sports season start to appear in local papers, these Labor Day reps remind us that the grind never really stops – even on a holiday.