Saturday sports practices have always been a controversial topic among Princeton Day School athletes. Sports practices typically meet around three to four times a week and start either during the C&C period or after school. However, during the week, students’ lives revolve around projects, tests, and other academic assignments. Additionally, many students have extracurricular commitments, requiring them to balance their school schedule with sports and clubs. This overload results in the student either skipping practices or attending without passion and effort. Therefore, Saturday practices, which are often a stress-free day for students, are a perfect solution to this problem.

The Princeton Day School cross country team provides a key example of how Saturday practices can benefit a team. In an interview with multiple members of the XC team, sophomore Arjun Kalapala said, “I like Saturday practices. There’s much more freedom and also really fun, like we went to Shake Shack the other day after practice.” To athletes like Kalapala, it’s not only a way to improve his running skills, but also a time when he can socialize with friends and mentally reset.

Of course, many students also have commitments to attend to during their weekends, and the task of an extra practice can negatively impact their plans. However, overall, XC members agreed that Saturday practices help them improve their running times and mood.

Ultimately, sports practice on Saturdays helps student athletes relax after a long week and fully focus and commit to practice. The environment during these practices also helps students socialize with teammates and coaches, creating a stronger sense of belonging throughout the team.