The morning before their softball game, freshmen Killian Burns and Halle Monkmeyer found themselves hanging by a thread — literally. Wrapped in silks, they twisted and struck poses while dangling from the ceiling. Aerial yoga provided a fun break before they’d pick up the bat and pitcher’s glove again.
During spring break, the softball program traveled to San Diego, California to compete with three other teams. Temperamental weather before the trip caused many game cancellations, leading to the coaches’ decision to bring all players, regardless of their skill level, to San Diego. The softball players departed for The Golden State on Friday, two hours before the School officially let out for spring break.
“I was looking forward to it, but I didn’t really know what to expect,” Monkmeyer said. “I was a little scared honestly, because I didn’t really know how the dynamic of everything was going to work.”
When the team was not playing in their games, the coaches surprised the players with ice-breaking activities. These mini field trips included the aerial silks yoga session, a trip to the zoo and a stop at the beach, where the team made a campfire and roasted s’mores.
“I feel like the entire trip, I was constantly laughing,” Monkmeyer said. “I was just having so much fun everywhere we went.”
The little moments, like playing Hot Seat and chatting in hotel rooms, allowed the team to connect even further.
“Where we bond the most on the trip is in the hotel,” captain Talulah Monthy said. “We make so many inside jokes, and the vibe of the team is just completely different.”
At games and practices, the team’s inside jokes and shared experiences on the trip generate laughter and conversation.
“I’m really glad that I went on the trip — it definitely made a difference in getting closer to teammates,” Burns said. “I hope we can win SPC, but I also just hope that people continue to get closer and make really strong friendships.”
Over the break, the baseball team stayed at a beachfront hotel on the other side of the country in St. Petersburg, Florida. There, they enjoyed playing spikeball by the beach and hanging out by the pool.
Starting on a Friday, the team competed against teams from Canada, Florida and Minnesota in a five-game Round Robin. The coaches selected only 25 players from the baseball program to participate in the spring break Tournament, including freshman Jake Irwin.
“It was great getting to play up with better competition,” Irwin said. “It was also nice getting to know everyone a little bit better.”
Captain Owen Sherrill planned activities with co-captain Will Coffman to promote team bonding, including a Topgolf outing and an Orioles vs. Phillies game. But the highlight of the trip for Sherrill was the playful rivalry between SJS and the team from Minnesota. Each team had won four out of the five games, but SJS started their final game a few runs behind the Minnesotans.
“The team rallied and came back to win the game,” Sherrill said. “It was a really great moment for us as a team, because it showed that we were capable of getting hit, getting back up to fight again and winning a game that we deserved.”
The trip ended that Tuesday, but the bonds they created stayed strong.
“Our wins were a product of the momentum and chemistry that we had built up on the trip,” Sherill said. “We’re entering conference play soon, so we hope to keep the momentum rolling and defend our championship.”
