Valencia Underclassmen Swimmers Deserve an Offseason Break

As most students know, many sports have offseasons—a free semester when athletes aren’t actively competing in their chosen high school sport. Offseason is a time for athletes to rest, recover, and stay in shape with some time in the weight room, all while enjoying a free sixth period. But for the underclassmen of Valencia High School, that’s not the case when it comes to swimming.

Instead of getting a break, underclassmen swimmers are expected to do courses such as P.E or body conditioning. This can be exhausting, especially for club swimmer freshmen and sophomores who are still adjusting to high school. Unlike upperclassmen, they don’t get the same chance to reset, focus on school, or explore other activities during the offseason.

In most other sports, underclassmen get a free sixth period or a true break from their sport. But for swimming, if underclassmen don’t continue with the team, they’re often placed into PE or another elective class instead of getting that free period. That means they’re not really getting the rest or flexibility that an offseason is supposed to provide.

Staying in swim all year means constantly being in the water, which can lead to physical burnout. Young athletes need time for their bodies to recover, especially after a long season of training and meets. Without that break, there’s a higher chance of overuse injuries, like shoulder pain or general fatigue. An offseason could help prevent those problems and keep swimmers healthier in the long run.

There’s also the academic side. Having a free sixth period or a lighter schedule during the offseason could give underclassmen more time to focus on schoolwork or tutoring, especially during tough parts of the year like finals or AP exams. It’s hard to stay on top of everything when you’re always heading straight from class to swim. On top of that, mental health plays a big role. Swimming can be mentally draining when it never stops. Taking a break from the pressure and routine of training every day could help underclassmen recharge and come back more motivated for the next season. A break doesn’t mean they stop caring—it just means they’re being given time to reset.

Even during the offseason, athletes can still stay active through weight training or light workouts. The goal isn’t to be inactive, but to have more balance and flexibility. Offseason for other sports doesn’t mean quitting—it just means training smarter, not harder, and making room for other parts of life.

If upperclassmen get the option to take the offseason, underclassmen should have that choice too. Valencia’s younger swimmers are dedicated, but they deserve time to rest, recover, and grow just like every other athlete. Valencia’s underclassmen deserve offseasons too.