For the football team, team bonding creates a strong sense of brotherhood, which, according to several senior players who have been on the team for their four years of high school, improves their dynamic on the field.
Head Coach, Mark Reese, organizes traditions and events to bring players together before and after games. For example, players participate in Friday breakfasts on game day, Thursday dinners on campus after practice, and Saturday donuts during weekend practices. By doing this, the players spend quality time with one another to ease stress levels and come together.
“[These traditions] help us keep good bonds with each other so that everyone gets close on a personal level and things run smoother,” said senior player Cole Jackson, who has been playing for the Falcons since middle school.”
Building team connections ensures that the players display their highest performance on the field. There are locker room “traditions” that take place before games also contribute to better teamwork. For example, they blast housemusic to raise energy levels and better their moods before they hit the field.
For senior Walker Smith, the team building is important because the team is made up of both underclassmen and upperclassmen.
“We are kind of like mentors to them and teach them techniques and tactics of how to get through training camps, practices, and games,” Smith said.
(Alena Zamek)
Senior Jake Pearcy also said that build a strong team chemistry is “essential because we build trust with each other so that the team plays well.” He and Jackson said that, their favorite part about being on the team, are the bonds formed on and off the field.
“I like our sense of family,” Pearcy said.
