With 19 varsity athletic teams and over 60 years of being an establishment of education, the Cabrini Athletics have won 112 Colonial States Athletic Conference Championships, one Allegheny Mountain Collegiate Conference Championship and 34 CSAC President’s Cups.
There are always stories about Cabrini’s athletic teams and their accomplishments on the field— as there should be— but there are rarely stories about what Cabrini’s athletics teams are doing off of the field.
As important as it is for athletes to bond with their teammates in season at practice and during games, it is equally as important for them to bond with their teammates out of season as well.
Team bonding is so important. It can bring teams together to create a stronger bond between teammates so that they can use the connection with each other to use that bond on the field and succeed as athletes.
Olivia Blankenbiller, a sophomore business management major, plays on the women’s volleyball team at Cabrini. Next is Tyree Holmes, a sophomore computer science major. Tyree is a sophomore on Cabrini’s men’s cross country team. Lastly, the Loquitur talked to Kimberly Pepenella. Kimberly is a political science and business management double major. She is a senior on Cabrini’s women’s tennis team.
What does the team do to stay loose?
Blankenbiller: “My team and I do cheers before our games to stay loose.”
Holmes: “Everyone has their own way of staying loose. Most of the team enjoys listening to music on the bus ride there. When we get to the race we go on a warm-up run and focus on the task at hand, but also joke around a bit to loosen up.”
Pepenella: “The women’s tennis team stays loose by stretching before and after each practice and match, listening to music, or just talking.”
How often does the team hangout outside of practice and games?
Blankenbiller: “I’m usually with them almost every weekend for games but we hang out afterwards. They are my second family.”
Holmes: “We hang out pretty often outside of practice and games. We hang out in each other’s rooms regularly, eat together and go to different events together on campus. We really enjoy each other’s company and have a great time together.”
Pepenella: “The team hangs out as much as we can; a dinner, a movie, just talking to just getting together to do homework. We have a group chat with all of the girls and every day there is a conversation.”
Do you feel as if the team does too much or too little together?
Blankenbiller: “We do a lot together but I never get sick of them. I love them all!”
Holmes: “I feel that we hang out a good amount. We’re more than just teammates; we’re friends. Some of us room with each other. We have had a few people graduate and transfer, and they occasionally visit and we’re always excited to see them. The team is really like a family.”
Pepenella: “The tennis team is small which is a huge advantage. We treat each other like family.”
