Spring Break Athletic Trips
An airport bus rolls up to the Cabana Bay Beach Resort in Orlando, Florida. The girls’ lacrosse and softball teams and the boys’ baseball team eagerly roam around the resort, exploring their rooms and outside attractions. The hotel has a large pool with a lazy river, surrounded by white sand, and there is a constant rumble of roller coasters from the Universal Theme Park.
“The trip just made me a more confident and capable player, and got rid of the rust I had taken on in the offseason.”
Over this past spring break, Exeter sent spring athletic teams to Florida to get the season started with competitive practices and games. Not all the teams stayed in the Cabana Bay Resort; boys’ lacrosse was located in other parts of Florida, and girls’ tennis practiced in Los Angeles.
The teams comprised athletes of all grades and ranges of skill level. The purpose of the trip is not for tryouts, but rather for the players to get back into the pace of their respective sports. Upper and lacrosse player Troy Marrero said, “The trip just made me a more confident and capable player, and got rid of the rust I had taken on in the offseason.”
The trips also provided ample opportunity for the players to get to know each other better and bond while at the pool or amusement park. Senior and baseball player Hans Fotta mentioned he enjoyed “making friends with our opponents on the bus rides back, eating, and hanging out in the amusement park.” The spring break trips clearly provided our Exeter teams an advantage by starting the spring sport season early.
Down in Florida, Big Red scrimmaged against many local and prep school teams. Girls’ lacrosse played two games, including one at the ESPN Worldwide Sports location. Marrero said some of his favorite game memories “were going to IMG Academy and playing against them.”
Lower Jill Cloonan summarized that “softball had some strong wins against competitive Florida teams which showcased our strengths and weaknesses as a team”. All the Exeter teams had scrimmages, and whether or not they won or lost the games have helped prepare them for the upcoming season.
The multitude of Florida spring trips had the advantage of not being solely focused on athletics. Taking place in one of the sunniest parts of America, girls’ lacrosse players made sure to take advantage of the local theme parks and clean beaches during their stay. “It was an incredible team bonding experience,” lower Keaghan Tierney said. “Going in the parks with my friends and singing on the bus ride with a group of random baseball players had to be the highlights of the trip for me.”
While it’s important to get in shape, train and scrimmage with a team, it’s even more important to get to know them and form bonds that will last long after the season has finished. What better way to get closer to teammates than early morning beach runs, team pool parties and late nights in the local theme park? “The trip was absolutely a blast,” Fotta said. “In addition to on-field work, we had the opportunity to explore the Universal Parks and hang out with each other in a recreational setting.”
The girls’ tennis team ensured time for fun in the sun, but players also benefited from challenges and growth off the field as well as on. Senior and captain Gabby Gabel was injured, but planned the trip and said, “It was such a great way to get our team dynamic flowing before the start of the season.”
Upper Reina Matsumoto agreed with Gabel’s sentiments. She added, “We played for four hours a day with an hour of fitness afterwards. We went to the beach twice after playing and had the chance to swim. Even though it was a relatively small group, we had so much fun.”
As for the lacrosse team, Marrero explained how he developed as an athlete and a team player, saying, “I think the trip was great preparation for the season, helping me grow and bond with my team. A particular aspect of this were our 7:00AM breakfasts every morning, the group was weary and sore. We figured out early how to support each other.”