Halloween-themed practices give athletes a deserved break
Highlighting the themed-practices of Bethel College sports teams this week
For a sports team to be successful, not only good athletes and coaches are required, but good team chemistry as well. While this chemistry is generally built up throughout the season, team bonding events can be a great way to get a break from intense practices, boost morale, and have some fun.
Every Halloween, several teams on campus take a break from their busy practice schedule to have light-hearted fun. This year, teams like tennis, women’s soccer, and softball hade practices where athletes dressed up in their Halloween costumes during practice. This, as it often does, led to a fun seasonal experience for the athletes.
This tradition gives student-athletes a chance to be creative with their teammates. The women’s soccer team was one example of this creativity. Sophomore soccer players Madison Davis and Madeline Moscrip went to practice dressed as Humpty Dumpty and The Wall. Another one of their teammates, Taylor Andrew, went as Lightning McQueen.
Athletes stated that instead of a typical practice, their team captains got to decide what activities they were going to do for the day. They first played a game called soccer tennis, which is played like a match of tennis with a soccer ball as a substitute. They then followed with a PK (penalty kick) shootout.
Softball practice had a similar premise. Junior softball player Cassie Albin came to practice dressed as Abby Lee Miller from Dance Moms. Her fellow teammate, Freshman Kate Quidato, went to practice dressed as Where’s Waldo.
The softball team participated in a kickball game, followed by pumpkin painting, watching Halloween Town, and eating pizza. Following the festivities, Quidato stated, “I think team bonding is very important. Everyone should have a team Halloween party!”
At this point in the semester, it is easy for athletes to feel burnt out and ready for the semester to end, especially with classwork piling up. Having practices like these can take some of the pressure off the practice routine. They serve as a reminder to athletes that it is good to take a break and have fun every once in a while.