As the days until spring break are getting closer and the hype about having a break from school grows, there is a lot of buzz about the unique places students at BSM are going during their break. For many students, spring break is a time to jet off to a tropical climate and lay on the beach all day or a time to hit the springtime slopes somewhere in the mountains. However, that is not the case for the baseball and softball teams here at Benilde St. Margaret’s. This spring break, both teams are taking a trip to Florida and using this spring break as a time to prepare for their seasons and grow as a team.

This is a tradition that both teams have had for a number of years. This year softball is headed to Cape Coral/Fort Myers, Florida. “Our coach chose this because we go to Florida every year that we have gone on a spring training trip. Two years ago when we went, we stayed in Disney and played at the ESPN complex in Orlando. This year we are playing a local school near the house that we rented as a team,” senior softball captain Sedona Brown said.

For baseball, they are also headed to the Fort Myers area. “We are going to Fort Myers for the second year in a row. We chose it because we can always count on great weather while we are there and we won’t have to worry about playing conditions like we would here,” senior baseball captain Derek Drees said.

Although many people give up this vacation time with their families and friends to spend it with their teams, all the players know that this training time is very important. “It helps the team prepare for the season because it shows us where we are going to have weaknesses and strengths. It also is a great opportunity to get ahead of the teams who don’t have an opportunity like this and stay back in Minnesota. It really gives us that extra week to have lots of fun and improve our games,” Drees said.

For both teams, a lot of the time on the trip is spent practicing. However, it is also a crucial time to bond with the team and kick off the season with a great start by growing as a team. “I would say a lot of team bonding goes on while we are on the trip. I think it really helps with a team relationship. There are some younger girls that are joining the varsity team this year and it’s always good to get closer with our teammates and introduce them to the team. This definitely helps make for a good and fun season,” Brown said.