Fred Bowen's "The Score" column,
January 18, 2002, Washington Post

Play Is Hard Work

The American pro soccer season is still months away. But the players aren't just sitting on their sofas waiting for the season to start.

Take Jen Grubb. The 23-year-old midfielder for the Washington Freedom is working hard so that she'll be at the top of her game this summer. "Everyone thinks pro athletes have it easy, playing a game once a week," Grubb says. "People don't see everything that goes into it. Athletes work hard for years to get ready."

Don't believe it? Here is what Grubb does in just one week in the offseason to get ready to play for the Freedom:

• She works on her endurance by taking a 50-minute run or a 22-mile bike ride three days a week. You need a strong heart and good wind to run the 90 minutes of a pro soccer game.

• Grubb does sprint work three times a week. Playing soccer requires short, explosive bursts of speed, so "I'll do 10 twenties, eight forties and six sixties," meaning 20-, 40- and 60-yard sprints.

Getting tired? Grubb isn't.

• She plays soccer four times a week to keep up her skills. Sometimes she plays with men from Major League Soccer teams.

"It's a good workout for me," she says. "Because I have to play hard just to keep up."

Grubb still isn't finished.

• Three times a week she also lifts weights for about an hour. "I hate weightlifting," she declares. "But I'm convinced it helps avoid injuries."

Finally Grubb is done. She always takes one day off a week. "I need to rest my body," she says.

Pro athletes work hard. But does this mean that kids should too?

Not really. Grubb didn't start working out like this until she was 15 years old and playing for the National Junior Team. Before that, she just played lots of sports. She started soccer when she was 5 but also played volleyball and basketball through high school. She even kicked for her high school football team.

Grubb, who coaches the under-13 Herndon Surge soccer team in Northern Virginia, doesn't think that kids should get too serious, too fast.

"It's okay to play just because you love to play," she says.

But who knows? Find a game you really love and you may become a pro. Like Jen Grubb.

In-Vincible

I made a mistake in last week's column about NFL coach Vince Lombardi. I said that the high school where he coached, St. Cecilia's, was in New York. It was in New Jersey. In fact, it still is. And that state is so proud of Lombardi that it named a rest stop after him on the New Jersey Turnpike.

Fred Bowen is the author of sports novels for kids. Write to him at KidsPost, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, DC 20071. Or e-mail (with The Score in the subject field): kidspost@washpost.com.

© 2002 The Washington Post Company