Among all the student athletes at Seaman High School (SHS), double season athletes are more common than one would think. Double season athletes are athletes who go from either cross country, football, volleyball, tennis, or soccer to basketball, boys swimming, wrestling, bowling, with only about a week to rest. 

That week is KHSAA-mandated and called the buffer week. Buffer week is a time for athletes to recover and prepare for the upcoming season. This year buffer week was from November 11th to November 15th. 

“I love buffer week. It gives me time to sleep and get caught up on school work,” sophomore volleyball and basketball player Drew Baxter states.

Buffer week can be somewhat controversial, however. Some consider it unnecessary for the double season athletes and believe it has no impact on the turnaround on students’ performances from sport to sport. The Boys varsity basketball coach, Craig Cox, questions the necessity of buffer week.

“I do not believe the buffer week in beneficial. If it was, then they would have a buffer week between winter and spring sports,” Coach Cox explained.

There is no buffer week for winter to spring athletes like junior, Reid Cowan who goes from football in the fall, to basketball in the winter, to golf season in the spring. Cowan gets no rest between basketball and golf, and depending on how basketball season goes, Cowan’s seasons could possibly overlap. 

But, with the football season ending in the beginning of November, the football players have had a bit longer than a week to prepare for the upcoming athletic season. 

Senior football player and wrestler Landon Willard took advantage of the three week break after playoffs to focus and get ready for his senior wrestling season. 

 “I try to stay in shape as much as possible before the season and make sure I’m down to my weight,” Willard states. 

Along with football players going into wrestling, junior Nathan Zeferjahn went from the football field to the basketball court.

Zeferjahn ended his phenomenal junior season with a bang at the playoffs game, but he could only rest for a few days as the upcoming basketball season was on its way and Zeferjhan had work to do, both mentally and physically. 

“I like to take some time to rest and just mentally prepare for the next season,” says Zeferjahn. 

With winter sports practice starting on November 18th, coaches have high hopes for their athletes this season. 

Girls basketball coach Matt Tinsley says the team has high expectations for the season.

“We are determined to improve on a daily basis,” Tinsley states. 

The girls basketball team is coming back this season with the state tournament in sight after making it to substate last season. 

As for the boys basketball team, Coach Cox has one simple goal for this season; to improve in every aspect.

With the wrestling season also beginning, Coach Kelly plans on everyone having fun and creating a lifetime of good memories. 

Boys swim and dive also has high expectations to meet such as setting a goal at the beginning of the year to earn personal bests each time the swimmers compete. 

With or without a buffer week, the Viking athletes competing in winter sports are prepared to meet goals and break records this season.