Athletes come together; Teams build bonds

High school sports teams have about three weeks to gel as a team, starting in August before regular season play begins in September. By the time regular season play starts, the teams want to be ready to take on their most difficult rivals and come out on top. 

       Many teams elect to host team dinners at teammates’ homes and team breakfasts in the gymnasium hallway. Squads use these get-togethers as their way to get to know one another and build strong bonds. 

     Both varsity and JV girls’ soccer teams have been hosting team dinners and breakfasts. The girls attended a dinner hosted by members Haley Borns, junior, and Zoe Shum, freshman. Senior Riley Stoneback has loved the recent get-togethers. She particularly enjoys the team breakfasts, “because  [the team] all get a chance to see each other on game days in the mornings before school.” Stoneback does think that while bonding events achieve their purpose of bringing the team together, it brings them closer “as friends, too.”

     Varsity field hockey has also been getting together to bond as a team. Junior Amber Kozlowski enjoys the team dinners. She says they are a “very good bonding experience” and the team “always has a lot of fun.” The most recent team dinners have been hosted by senior Abbey Saltzer and junior Korynn Sims. Kozlowski expressed that “no matter what” at bonding events, they all “make everyone feel welcomed.”

     JV field hockey also participates in team bonding experiences. Sophomore Sophie Deibler has been attending all her team’s dinners. She says they “normally just eat and sometimes play little team bonding games.” This helps their team “bond because [they] all sit together and everyone gets along,” says Deibler. 

     Hawks cross country has also been taking part in team bonding activities. Co-captain James Ortt, junior,  says the team has recently started doing ice baths together. The baths “were originally a joke,” but the team “had a great time.” Recently they all got together at senior Jody Cadden’s house to have a pool ice bath event. Ortt says everyone got to “hang out and get close” with one another. Ortt also went to the team’s taco party where they “played Wii tennis and JustDance.” Most of the team attended and “had a good time” according to Ortt. 

     The Lady Hawks volleyball team has had team bonding experiences that junior Kailyn McCoy has enjoyed. She likes attending the events “because you get to know more things about one another and you get to see who some of the members truly are.” 

     Some teams have elected not to participate in team dinners. Varsity football, JV football, golf, varsity boys volleyball, JV boys volleyball, varsity boys soccer, and JV boys soccer have not been hosting team bonding events.