Team Bonding Weekends

[GIMNEPIWO]

I have several questions / comments about a HS team bonding weekend ... But please share travel, HS & College bonding ideas ...

Should team bonding weekends be all about competition or should they be about mindless fun ?
I.E.: running suicides & steps VS water balloon wars & egg tosses ?

Should they be competition based or 'who cares who wins or loses as long as they giggle ?'
I.E. : gold silver bronze medals or 'tag, you're it'

Should it be like boot camp or a sleep over ?

Should they be expected to be ' on all the time 'to make best use of the time' or should there be 'down time' ?
I.E. : Watch movies like "League of Their Own" & "Invincible" or "Abbott & Costello meet the Mummy" or some wacky vampire flick ?

You may or may not get where I'm headed with this ... Thank you in advance for your comments and or replies ...

[DonnieS]

Kids HS team heads up to a cabin in the mountains for the weekend each season. It is strictly a veg-out/hang-out weekend. They goof around, watch movies, eat like girls.
She says it is fun, don't know if it helps the team or not but I doubt it hurts.

Our kids h/s team has for years had beach day - just like what Spazdad describes, dont really even know what part of the beach they go to. They also have a team meal day before most home games - only things parental units have to do with it - is , well maybe we provide the food they ask for. There has never been a coach involved or even around for it - parents enter the room at their own risk. Sometimes - just on the spur, they will all get dressed up and go to the local 'Chili's ' restaurant - again - girls only - parentals - definitely not invited. Also , special cases, will call for a team meeting, using something happens - or they have a bad game or something. I have seen the pictures from these events, lots of laughs. I remember one time , one of the girls demanded to bring her bf, this was a few years ago, the next times they had the team get together, they would forget to call that kid.

But great things happened for that kid - she got a full athletic scholarship to a D3 - it had to be true, the parents told me.

[hit4power]

DD's HS team has gone to Disney for Spring Break and that is where team bonding takes place. Not that it couldn't happen at any get-away venue, but its a great mix of ball and fun. Freshman orientation takes place, and a great many stories are made, pictures taken, etc. My point is only that I think the mix of games and fun is a good one. On the TB circuit, the closest thing I've seen is the Colorado week where there is plenty of time for some non-softball activities which tend to be the ones that the girls remember and look forward to for the next year.

[Coach11]

DDs HS team also does the Disney trip every other year. While there for the week, they have games and practices each day prior to noon. After that, it's girls, girls, girls. Coach dismisses them from field, and they are on their own until the next morning. They had so much fun last year, they were hoping to do it again this year, but came up short on fundraising. (thanks to the schools new policy of no selling candy to raise funds. Had been EASY money for years)

What I've done for team bonding with TB teams is a bit less involved. Usually, about midway into a season, as the girls are hitting their stride on the field, I'll call a practice and introduce them to an activity they don't typically enjoy together. I don't inform them of my plans until they reach the field. At which point we'll head to the movies, or bowling or somesuch. To be honest, the thing I think they enjoyed the most was a game of Ultimate. (Frisbee football) But I've had them pick up teams for touch football, wiffle ball, even relay races. They have a blast just being together and goofing around rather than the usual seriousness of a practice and the relentless drills.

On a very hot summer day, a water balloon fight can be a great idea. But remember....they're still teenagers. If there's a girl on the team that just doesn't quite fit in, this may become painfully obvious in these situations. Best to choose an activity that won't end up singleing anyone out.

[3'sDad]

The DD's HS team just came back from the Disney week. DD is a freshman so team bonding was very important. They did have a good time and even won a few games.

[softballaddict]

DD's HS team freshman year (in GA we plan in the fall) went to a weekend HS tournament at Jeckyll Island / Brunswick early in the season (mid August). Had a great time, played reasonbly well in the tournament, and really came together as a team. Stayed in motel on the beach, so had beach / pool time. Highlight of the trip though was the flasher who drove up next to the bus at a red light on our way to dinner after our last game Saturday evening. Every girl on the bus suddenly moved to the far side of the bus. I'm in a car behind the bus and my DD calls to tell us what's going on. I got the tag # before the light turned and he drove off. Called police and reported the incident. Never heard if they caught the guy, but still one of the best stories of DD's HS career.

[ontheblack]

I think age is a big part of it. At 12s the kid's team bonded with a mixture of games and fun. In HS they see the games differently and just being kids and hanging out is what my kid prefers now. I think trips like Colorado make it almost impossible to not bond as long as you dont go Tom Dodd on them and make them practice whenever they are not playing.

[GIMNEPIWO]

DD's HS team freshman year (in GA we plan in the fall) went to a weekend HS tournament at Jeckyll Island / Brunswick early in the season (mid August). Had a great time, played reasonbly well in the tournament, and really came together as a team. Stayed in motel on the beach, so had beach / pool time. Highlight of the trip though was the flasher who drove up next to the bus at a red light on our way to dinner after our last game Saturday evening. Every girl on the bus suddenly moved to the far side of the bus. I'm in a car behind the bus and my DD calls to tell us what's going on. I got the tag # before the light turned and he drove off. Called police and reported the incident. Never heard if they caught the guy, but still one of the best stories of DD's HS career.

I heard they caught up to him and he was just another umpire getting changed where ever he could, because there were no facilities available to do so ...

[artomatic]

DD's HS team freshman year (in GA we plan in the fall) went to a weekend HS tournament at Jeckyll Island / Brunswick early in the season (mid August). Had a great time, played reasonbly well in the tournament, and really came together as a team. Stayed in motel on the beach, so had beach / pool time. Highlight of the trip though was the flasher who drove up next to the bus at a red light on our way to dinner after our last game Saturday evening. Every girl on the bus suddenly moved to the far side of the bus. I'm in a car behind the bus and my DD calls to tell us what's going on. I got the tag # before the light turned and he drove off. Called police and reported the incident. Never heard if they caught the guy, but still one of the best stories of DD's HS career.

I heard they caught up to him and he was just another umpire getting changed where ever he could, because there were no facilities available to do so ...

That is pretty damn funny, especially if you are familiar with the post that G's reply is referring to...