For fall athletes August means everyone’s favorite time of year: pre-season! Pre-season is its own all-consuming beast that pushes you to your limits, maybe makes you wish you could cut off your legs so you can have an excuse to not go to practice, but also makes you remember why you fell in love with your sport in the first place. No matter what sport you play, here are a few things fall athletes all look forward to (or actually realistically probably dread) about pre-season.

1. The heat

Whether you play outside or indoors, prepare yourself to endure the scorching August heat. Get ready to sweat out buckets.

2. Being more sore than you can possibly imagine

You totally did all your summer lifts, right? Well whether you actually did or not, you’re going to feel like an old-grandma when you wake up in the mornings.

3. Sweat on anything and everything

Your shirts are sweaty, your shorts are sweaty, all of your gear is sweaty. Even the things you don’t think about-- like your backpack-- get sweat on them. Changing shirts between practices really only puts off the inevitable.

4. Double days

Double days are the best but also the worst days of your life. Just when you think you’ve made it through the first, get ready for three more hours!

5. Having an excuse to eat your weight in food

If your team is anything like mine, you probably love to eat, and do so at any chance you get. Pre-season usually means free food from your coaches along with empty stomachs. So chow-down: you earned it!

6. Christmas!

All fall athletes know that the real Christmas is in August, not December. Getting all your new swaggy clothes is probably the highlight of your season.

7. Team bonding

Inevitably pre-season brings out the best, the ugly, and the hilarious, and there’s no one you’d rather share that experience than with your team.

8. Ice baths

Ice baths are the most painfully necessary staple of pre-season. Beat the heat, though, with some cool ice water, right?!

9. Getting way to used to each other

Spending 24/7 with your team brings out a whole other side of them that you probably aren't used to seeing. Though team chemistry is great, you're all probably a little too close, and you probably all stink.

10. The start of season

Pre-season gets you excited, gives you hope, and hypes you up to take on the season. Get ready to take names and win some rings!