Two-mile run, 30 pull-ups, 30 V-ups, handstand holds and a few rope climbs.

And that was just the warm-up.

For two 6-year-old girls.

VITALS

Shayna Pirreca
Florida

No. 7
Year: Senior
Position: Attack
Height: 5-4
40 Time: 5.2
Vertical Jump: 20"
Broad Jump: 7', 6"
3x300 Shuttle: 57 seconds

Florida standouts Shayna and Sydney Pirreca, a senior attacker and junior midfielder, respectively, were once competitive gymnasts, practicing twice a day, before and after elementary school, for a total of six hours a day. 

“I would consider both of us gym rats our entire lives,” Sydney Pirreca said. “The workouts that we did as gymnasts were probably some of the most grueling workouts we’ve ever done in our whole lives.”

From a two-hour practice in the morning and a four-hour practice in the afternoon as young gymnasts to a two- or three-hour practice as Division I lacrosse players, “that’s really not that much,” Sydney Pirreca continued. “It’s really nothing like what we’ve done in that past.”

“Gymnastics taught us that you can’t do the bare minimum and expect to be the best,” Shayna Pirreca said. “You have to work hard when no one’s watching.”

PHOTOS COURTESY OF THE PIRRECA FAMILY

Therefore, the Pirreca sisters stay after each lift to do an extra cardio workout and practice stick skills before and after practice for an hour each on the field. They actually enjoy the 300-yard shuttle run test, competing with each other to get the better time, and do more pushups, pull-ups and rope climbs than their teammates, who have recently joined them in extra workout sessions.

“Sometimes it feels like they live at our facility,” Florida coach Mandee O’Leary said.

VITALS

Sydney Pirreca
Florida

No. 44
Year: Junior
Position: Midfield
Height: 5-2
40 Time: 4.9
Vertical Jump: 22"
Broad Jump: 7'
3x300 Shuttle: 56.3 seconds

With Shayna graduating in the spring, the upcoming season will be the last for the Pirreca sisters together with the Gators. They combined for 117 points last season.

“For a long time, Shayna and I were the only ones going out shooting because that’s all we knew,” Sydney Pirreca said. “Now you see people coming out with us all the time and our teammates want to get better. It’s such a positive experience for our work ethic to play off into other people.”