Day 2: Team Sports Traditions

Bonding and building: Boys’ squash participates in team holiday traditions

By Louisa Sandorff, Staff Reporter

Boy’s squash has been playing their best for a very long time, representing Conestoga at multiple games and events. The holiday traditions that they carry out at this time of year help them bond as a team.  

A tradition that the team continued for years is called “Monkey Doubles”. In this tradition, a couple weeks before winter break, alumni that graduated from the team in past years come back to play with the current members of the team.  

“In squash there’s singles and there’s doubles, and a doubles court is bigger; four people instead of two”, explains junior Harrison Kerr. “But when we play Monkey Doubles the alumni from previous years come back and play doubles on a singles court with the alumni.” 

The team prospers from this friendly tradition, it helps them de-stress from the pressure of the game, get together with old friends, and meet new people that were on the team but that they never had the chance to play with. A captain on the team, senior Alex Wang, explains what it’s like to be a part of this team building and bonding activity.

“I think it is pretty important for teams to have unity, to form these close friendships and relationships with each other. I think that it is important as a team to, for them to succeed in whatever they’re doing” 

He also agrees that these traditions help the team become closer. 

“Some of my teammates, they’re some of my closest friends, and I have a lot of classes with them so just being able to connect with these friends and even like people in grades below me, I’ve gotten pretty close with, and I think that’s just because I’ve gotten the time to spend quality time with them.”

New coach, new season, same attitude: Boys’ basketball team traditions

By Maggie Neary, Staff Reporter

Following a successful season with a playoff appearance, Mike Troy, the boys’ basketball head coach, decided to step down.  After 16 years of coaching at ‘Stoga under his belt, he handed his role off to assistant coach Sean Forcine.  With a new coach comes new traditions, but one idea carried on through the program: attitude.

Forcine believes the key to success lies in each player’s mentality.  Enforcing its importance, he has his players speak to one another about all the beneficial aspects of maintaining a strong, positive attitude.  Junior Liam Smith agrees with his coach’s values.

“Following these principles is vital to winning,” Smith said. “Especially when we need to stay positive in games when we don’t get the right call, or the momentum is not going our way.”

While Coach Forcine reinforces the significance of attitude that the program has valued this for years.  The team shares this mentality with others, such as teaching younger kids they counsel at camp each year the “attitude culture.”

Additionally, the team bonds over pasta parties and post-game dinners sponsored by the booster club.  This year, they plan to play poker as well.  These off-court events help the team with their on-court achievements according to senior Brian Shubert.

“Our expectations are to instill a new culture and a winning attitude,” Shubert said.

Between the emphasis on attitude and many team-bonding traditions, the boys are excited to begin their season alongside a new coach.

“We’ll take it one game at a time, improving as a unit each week,” Smith said. “Getting closer and closer to the Central League playoffs in February.”

Louisa Sandorff can be reached at [email protected].

Maggie Neary can be reached at [email protected].