We are lucky to have time to "acclimatize" during our pre-season now. It used to be that we jumped in with double sessions and were playing our first match less than a week after we started. Thanks to some rule changes for health and safety of all athletes, we now have to take things slower, thereby allowing for more time overall before we start competing. SO, to fill some of that time, we are able to do more team bonding and workshops etc.
A very popular experience during pre-season is always going to a swimming hole or to the State Park beach. I just happened to catch up with most of the team at the after-swim creamie! My personal go-to is a vanilla/choc twist with rainbow sprinkles!
The pre-season weather was great this year--nice, warm but not hot or humid for the most part, and sunny. For an indoor sport, it's nice for us to get out and enjoy some of that great weather.
We also did some "speed dating" as a get-to-know-you-better" exercise. It's fun and especially for the underclassmen, it's a great way to have personal conversations with each of your teammates. We also met with an alum who works in Counseling at the College as well as meeting with two extraordinary women who work in the Wellness Education office here on campus.
It's great to have the time to work through our skills without having to try to cram it all into double sessions to get it all in. It's also better for our bodies, minds and souls. Being able to do more of this other education and team bonding is also a great way to build on our already strong culture of MCVB. Our unofficial motto is: "It's ALL about the TEAM" and what better way to cement that than by really making efforts to get to know each and every one of your teammates and also learning about yourself and general wellness resources available on campus.
