During the boys and girls annual cross country camp to prepare for the upcoming season, the boys' team stayed at a cabin in the woods, the girls' team stayed locally in Chelsea, hosting their preseason camp at the high school. Although the location was different, the dedication and bonding had no change, though the grade range differed, the excitement was still present from teammate to teammate. Runners expressed how distinct the camp was compared to previous years.
“We would usually wake up around 6:30, eat breakfast, and then go out for a run,” Addison Leschuk said. “It was usually a trail run that we went on, but then we just went to the lake.”
This year of camp, compared to others, runners encountered changes in the schedule and environment that made a significant difference. Still, that didn’t detract from the motivation they had.
“It was different from what we’ve done in the past,” Sam Bieber said. “In the past, we went to a teammate’s lake house, but she graduated, so we had it at the school. But it was still really fun. I think it just added to the experience of wandering around the halls at night.”
While there were noticeable changes in the atmosphere that made this year's camp feel different from the rest, there were also similarities that stuck out to the teammates.
“We were only in the classroom when sleeping at night,” Bieber said. “We would still go to the lake and hang out all day.”
The boys cross country camp stayed in the cabins, held at Camp Deer Head trails, which was still a change of location for them compared to other years.
“It’s normally held on Waterloo Road in the Clear Lake cabins,” Miles Dell said. "We ran on the Camp Deer Head trails and stayed in the cabins. It was definitely more outdoorsy. We had to pay $100 each to go.”
Despite the very different setting, both camps focused on the same goals: team bonding and preparing for the season.
“I think no matter where we are, camp helps bring everyone together,” Bieber said.
Even though the girls stayed at the school rather than traveling to a cabin, they still found ways of making an unforgettable experience, one just as special as the rest.
“I think wherever we were, we would’ve gotten close,” India Barney said. “But because it was in a place we all knew, we had a lot more fun.”
