During the preseason, high school teams all around the country work hard to prepare themselves for competition.  First and foremost, this means practicing on the field — but it also includes working to establish team chemistry and to bond off the field.  Some Newark Academy teams are given an advantage in these areas because of one of the most unique experiences of the Academy’s athletic program: preseason trips.  These teams gain an advantage from the extra time that they get to spend on the field.  Arguably, however, the most important benefit of a preseason trip comes off the field.  Players on preseason trips spend as much as a week associating almost exclusively with their teammates and coaches, and this will often lead to stronger relationships and a more closely-knit team.  Usually, Newark Academy teams return from their trips reinvigorated and ready for the beginning of their respective seasons.

Newark Academy’s baseball and softball teams both make an annual trip down to Florida for one week during spring break, which reaps them a number of important benefits.  For many teams in the area, March, the first month of spring practice, is spent practicing indoors, in gyms and batting cages, because the fields are not ready for play yet. Newark Academy’s teams, however, are able to play a number of preseason games, against competitive opponents, on top-notch fields while on their trips to Florida. “It’s really great for us to start competing against some of the teams that are down there at the same time, because it prepares us for some of the teams that we will be playing on later on in the season,” said Kristen Nachtman, a senior member of the softball team.

In addition to the extra time on the field, these athletes get a unique opportunity to bond with their teammates.  “Most of our team chemistry develops on the trip, as it is more of a laid back and easygoing environment,” said senior baseball player Tommy Ciccone.  This is particularly beneficial for younger players, especially freshmen, who have not been a part of the team in the past.  “Every freshman is assigned to a condo with returning players, which automatically initiates a bond between the upperclassmen and the younger players,” said Nachtman.  Freshmen are able to become familiar with their new teammates and the culture of the program, and it helps them assimilate into a new environment, which is often one of the more difficult aspects of joining a new team.

The girls’ soccer team traditionally makes a team trip to Brewster in order to engage in much of the same team bonding as the baseball and softball teams. However, because the team had not named a new assistant coach before the beginning of the season, this year’s team was not able to make the trip due to a shortage of chaperones.  As a result, the team wasn’t as closely-knit as it had been in the past, and they started the season without as much team chemistry as they typically do.  “We did click as a team later on, but I think because we didn’t have the Brewster trip, it didn’t happen as quickly as we would like,” said senior team member Esther Neibart.  “In past years, I think Brewster has been a really huge factor in increasing team cohesiveness.”

While preseason trips help many of Newark Academy’s teams prepare for their seasons, they are not always the best option for every team.  The Men’s Lacrosse team has elected not to make a trip this season.  The team has previously travelled to locations such as Florida and Baltimore, but chose to stay home this year for a number of reasons.  “At times, we found that we didn’t like being pinned down due to someone else’s practice schedule for us.  At home, since we are using our own facilities, we can control our own practice schedule,” said Cillian Connor, a senior co-captain of the team.  Additionally, practicing in cold weather can offer some advantages.  “We think that the cold conditions are much more comparable to what we will be facing in the early spring, and we also think that the cold will make us mentally tougher,” said Connor.  Preseason trips can often be extremely beneficial, but it is important to consider each individual team’s set of circumstances before assessing the value of a trip.

It is clear that many of the Newark Academy teams which are afforded the privilege of taking a preseason trip are given an advantage over their competition.  Team chemistry is a critical aspect of any team sport, and these trips give an unique setting to improve a team’s dynamic.  It is impossible to quantify any on-field regular-season impact of these trips, but in addition to giving these athletes an enjoyable experience, these opportunities give players a chance to establish bonds that will carry throughout their season and beyond.