DG:
While it has been alluded to you can not appreciate how much the intensity increases in the spring. Practices get longer, weight sessions intensify, running increases both in speed and repetition. This intensifies what the kids, especially the freshmen that have not gone through it, feel.
You will hear that your kid is exhausted, hungry and they will complain about not having time to get school work or even to get there laundry done.
Winter break is a time to make sure that you are physically ready, it is a good time to get ahead with any reading that may be required during the first two months. If you son can find some “joy” in working and make a few bucks, great, but he needs to make sure that he is both physically and mentally ready as the season will start very fast