Individual devotion and the commitment to excellence are driving forces in any successful group of athletes. But what really takes a team to the next level is the chemistry formed between teammates. As the fable says, “In union there is strength.”
Many Aragon teams rely on team bonding. Junior and varsity soccer goalie Ashley Lentz says, “We have a pasta dinner at someone’s house before every game—to get our ‘mojo’ on. We do it two times a week after practice. We spend more time with each other then we do with our biological family.”
Indeed, teams become like a family. “We’re really close—we have a saying on the team—‘We’re a family tho’. It’s like a joke, but it’s definitely true, we’re like a family,” says senior varsity basketball player Justine Kubo.
“The girls on the team are a part of my family, we fight like sisters, we fight for each other like sisters, but most importantly we love each other like sisters,” agrees Lentz.
Kubo’s team also holds team-bonding sessions multiple times a week.
“We have potlucks every Thursday at Ms. Gennaro’s house, before Friday games, and after quads on Fridays we always go out to dinner.”
The boys basketball team also bonds over meals. “For team bonding we usually go out to eat as a team after games, or sometimes even after practice,” says sophomore and varsity basketball player Kevin Hahn.
Team bonding isn’t just reserved to the dinner table. Many teams have pre-game rituals that prepare their players for the arduous game ahead.
“Not all of our team is religious, but ever since I was a freshman, we’d always have one person say a prayer before games, and we would all pray and hope for the best for our team. Then we’d go around and say what we were going to do— like personal goals in the game. Then we’d squeeze each others’ arms and the next person goes. And when it gets to me, we finish and say ‘Together on three’ and say it really loud in the locker room,” says Kubo. “It’s not really a religious thing, it’s more of a team-bonding thing that gets us pumped up for the games.”
Many players experience the same sensation as Kubo.
“Before every single game the whole team gets into a huddle, and the captains go around and put hearts on all of our jerseys,” says Lentz. “We do it because our team leaves our hearts out on the field every time we play. It’s a great tradition that I hope will keep going.”
To anyone who’s ever been a part of any team, the feeling of winning is one of the greatest phenomenon one can feel.
“My favorite thing about the team is probably winning a really tough game that we have been working hard to win,” says Lentz.
Team bonding indubitably helps to facilitate success.
“It definitely carries over to the court, so the chemistry we have off the court we definitely have off the court,” says Kubo.
Hahn agrees. “[Team bonding] is important because you need to have a good connection with the players on the court and when you have that it just makes everything easier.”
Aragon is home to some extremely hard-working athletes. But the true reason behind the Don’s success may not just be the sweat we leave on the court; our teams are some of the closest groups of individuals you’ll find. Regardless of the crowds or the lights, you’ll find them behind each other until the end, on and off the court, field or track.
Aragon’s rivals may say that our teams don’t have any spirit. But there’s no denying that they have heart.
