It’s become tradition over the past few summers for South Carolina’s women’s basketball players to familiarize themselves with the upper deck of Colonial Life Arena. One Friday morning during the offseason, the Gamecocks director of women’s basketball performance gave players a challenge: Working as a group, snake through their stadium’s upper bowl, moving through every seat, aisle and crevice while carrying a rope. Don’t let the rope touch the ground, and don’t lose contact with it. Otherwise, a time penalty is assessed. In addition to carrying the rope, carry these kettlebells, chains and medicine balls.
Sound difficult? They must complete the task in 30 minutes.
The challenge is part of a series of workouts that Molly Binetti, the strength coach, has dubbed Final Four Fridays, which runs every Friday for around 12 weeks leading up to South Carolina’s first official practice. “It’s whatever crazy thing Molly can come up with,” associate head coach Lisa Boyer said. It was designed to prepare South Carolina for this Friday. That’s when South Carolina play in its fourth consecutive Final Four, taking on NC State.
The morning workouts are grueling, involving obstacles on South Carolina’s campus and Columbia. None seem as daunting as the rope challenge,…
