With finals drawing near, the summer just can't get here fast enough. Most Tech students will do the traditional summer thing: head to the beach, sleep until noon and pretty much do absolutely nothing.

While the everyday student is taking time off, Tech's athletes will use the summer to fine tune their skills for the upcoming seasons.

A summer of rest and relaxation is certainly an option for most athletes, but the majority of those at Tech will take advantage of the lighter class-loads and work harder than ever in their particular sport.

The Bulldog football team will fight the relentless sun for some of the year's most grueling workouts.

With the spring game in the books and the depth chart nearing completion, summer practices are a make-or-break time for those players on the bubble.

Bulldog football players will not only be working hard on the field but also in the weight room.

Tech's strength coaches and trainers use the summer to implement the year's toughest weight lifting regiment, seasoning the athletes for a long and physical season.

With a schedule featuring SEC powers Tennessee and Auburn, along with a rematch against the Hurricanes, head coach Jack Bicknell has his work cut out for him.

Perhaps the hardest working group of athletes on campus is the Lady Techster basketball team.

The Techsters welcome fresh talent and begin practices midway through the summer, and they will also hold basketball camps throughout the summer beginning in June.

The Techsters have added four newcomers and plan to ink two more before the summer to aid the reloading process for the 2005 season.

Unlike the athletes previously mentioned, Tech baseball players will disperse and join summer leagues across the country.

Most summer wooden bat leagues are invitation only and provide collegiate baseball players with the best competition in the world.

While the hours under the sun at the ball park are lengthy and the wooden bats frustrating, summer league baseball offers a bit more "fun" than an average college athlete's summer.

And finally, led by head coach Jennifer Soileau, the freshly formed women's soccer team is holding tryouts today from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The soccer team is sure not to waste a day this summer by getting acquainted and physically prepared for their inaugural season beginning in September.

These are just a few Tech sports that will push their athletes to the limit this summer, as every Tech athlete and varsity sport will work hard to improve.

Each sport at Tech takes pride in a strong summer program in order to prepare their athletes for the upcoming season.

So while you are stumbling down the beach, pressing the snooze button for the 10th time or busy doing absolutely nothing this summer, remember the Tech athletes and their dedication to their sport when they take the field or court next season.

Luke DeRouen is a senior journalism major from Lake Charles and serves as associate sports editor for The Tech Talk.