Going the Distance

Ryenne Feeney

[Ryenne is a senior at Masconomet Regional High School. She plays varsity soccer and runs varsity indoor and outdoor track. She has qualified for the state track meet in indoor and outdoor track every year for the past 3 years. Ryenne runs every distance from the 100m to the 600m as well as anchoring the 4x200m, 4x400m, and 4x800m relays.

She also plays club soccer on the NEFC North Shore 02 girls team, who won the National Championship in July (2019) and have been State Champions for the past 3 years. She is in the top 8% of her class and carries a class load of honors and AP classes. Ryenne is committed to play soccer at Bentley University in the fall of 2020.]

GTD: Ryenne, how many summers have you trained in Coach Braz's program? What got you started doing it?
Ryenne: I have been doing Braz camp for 6 years now. I got started because my sister was doing it and I needed to start training hard for soccer.

GTD: You're a soccer player in the fall, and you run track in the winter and spring. What do you do in the summer program that helps with these sports?
Ryenne: Braz camp helps me build up my endurance so I can play an entire game and be as strong in the end as I am in the beginning. I also work on my form which carries into my track seasons to make me a better sprinter and mid-distance runner.

GTD: While it isn’t a “running program” there’s a lot of quick movement, both on the track and the turf field, with “obstacles” (rope ladders, cones, hurdles). Tell us about these drills. Are there ones you like better than others?
Ryenne: My favorite drills to do are ladders because it improves my agility and increases my foot speed. Those help me in soccer especially for my foot skills and in being a defender since I must be able to quickly move with another player.

GTD: In addition to the speed and agility we work on, you have 90 minutes of mostly steady “work” with some short water breaks. How does this prepare you for fall and winter sports?
Ryenne: My endurance consistently is improved throughout the summer, so I am able to play a full game of soccer in the fall and run the 600m during the winter. Both soccer games and the 600m require a lot of endurance, so by starting to build up my endurance in the summer I can continue to keep it through all my sports seasons which help me stay strong in each sport.

GTD: It’s a progressive program over the 6 weeks of onsite sessions. It gets more challenging with each week. How does this work for you?
Ryenne: The first week starts out pretty intense, but Coach Braz really prepares us by giving the pre-camp prep workouts. After getting used to the first week, the program continues pretty steadily, so we are constantly pushed without having sessions that require a huge jump from the condition you are in. Coach Braz knows exactly how hard he can and needs to push us so we are in our best shape at the beginning of the season without causing injuries or making the sessions unbearable.

GTD: The last phase of each training session is often devoted to core work, flexibility, and strength. Tell us about it. What did you like and didn’t like?
Ryenne: The last phase of the sessions really helps with injury prevention and strengthening different parts of the body. I really like when we work on flexibility and strength because Coach Braz knows exactly what to work on to improve everyone's individual fitness through those types of exercises. I have had issues with my hips being too tight and when I brought it up to Coach Braz he knew right away what was wrong and gave me stretches and exercises to help improve my hips.

GTD: How do you handle nutrition on Braz camp mornings? It's the heat of summer, you're starting at 9am and you have 90 intense minutes of work.
Ryenne: Each morning before a session I will have either some toast or a banana. I hate eating a lot of food early in the morning and especially before I work out, but I know I will not be able to work my hardest if I do not. Getting just a little bit of food into my system before a session really helps me make it all the way through without struggling.

GTD: What’s ahead for the fall season? Do you do a sport in the winter and spring?
Ryenne: This fall I will be a senior playing high school soccer at Masco. I will most likely be playing center back and left back throughout the season. In the winter I will be running indoor track where I will be a captain and run the 600m as my main event. I will also be running the 400m and other sprints for outdoor track in the spring where I am captain as well.

GTD: You’re a senior. Plans for after high school? Career plans?
Ryenne: After high school, I will be going to Bentley University to study business and play soccer. Although I do not know exactly what I will major in, I am excited to explore all the possibilities of my future and experience the next part of my life!

And finally, it's always good to win!
Extra credit question: would Ryenne compete in a Spartan race? After all, she's certainly a competitor. Go to this link for the answer.