Junior Sam Burch and the rest of the Royals track team are riding the bus to the next big meet with anticipation and are sharing techniques and learning from each other. For the track team, the bus rides are a breeding place for the bonding that carries the team through the season.
Spending the season together as a team and as a family creates a strong bond between the student athletes. The bond created between a team helps to educate, encourage, and build up the self-confidence of the players. The teams have to go through the ups and downs of games and continue to encourage each other to keep pushing forward. As a discus thrower on the track and field throwing team, Burch spends long hours with his teammates.
“We all do our warm ups together and while we are throwing we help each other and we develop our skills together,” Burch said.
Having a strong bond between teammates can help the players become better in their skills through peer criticism and motivation.
“[A bond] helps tremendously, whether you are in the circle throwing or on the line sprinting, We all want the same thing, to see each other prosper,” Burch said. “It means that I have someone to turn to when I need them and I have the responsibility to do the same for them.”
As the team continues through the season and becomes more familiar with one another, the bond continues to grow.
“Last year we went to Luca’s together and practiced over spring break. This year is just starting so we don’t [hang out] as much,” Burch said. “I feel that we are about to start hanging out more.”
Junior McKenzie Barlow, a varsity softball player, feels that a team bond is created by the support and encouragement of teammates.
“We create a bond by supporting each other and rooting for each other,” Barlow said. “It helps us get along.”
The companionship that has been created on the softball team carries on past team practices and will continue on after school is over this year.
“[We] go out to eat before games and we have team sleepovers,” Barlow said. “[During the summer] some of us play travel ball with each other and against each other.”
Senior Jessie Chiasson is a starting varsity tennis player and has been on the team for four years. As an experienced member she has seen the process of inducting new members on to the team.
“We try and integrate them in practice and make them involved. We always stress them to become better,” Chiasson said. “After our own matches we go and watch their exhibition matches.”
Social media has helped to bring teams closer off the field and has helped them stay in touch. Being able to communicate with one another more easily has increased the team companionship.
“We have a large group talk and are always talking and joking around with each other. It really helps us stay together,” Chiasson said.
Being a part of a team means having to go through losses and hardships together.
“The losses bring us closer together and the rivalries that we all have definitely brought us closer together,” Chiasson said.
The sports that make up PGHS athletics all share a common bond that brings them closer through the shared victories, losses, and support from one another.
“Everyone is playing a sport,” Burch said. “From sport to sport this brings us closer. We don’t have any judgment, we are all friends.”
