Courtesy of the BSM Dance team instagram and the BSM Marketing and Communications Team

No matter if teams gather on the ice, the floor, or the court this season they spend the holidays making more memories together.

The holiday season is a time for celebration and community. This winter, sports teams are utilizing the season for team bonding and to increase team spirit for the upcoming season.

The Benilde-St. Margaret’s dance team focuses on team bonding throughout the season, but the holidays bring about the perfect opportunity to focus on connecting off of the floor. During winter break, the dance team gathers for their Christmas party. At the team bonding event, members do game show activities, secret Santa, etc. This allows the team to grow together and prepare for the upcoming section tournaments. Ellie Shideman, a junior on the team, loves spending time with her teammates outside of dance. “Since we have more time when we’re not dancing around Christmas, [the team] uses that time to be with the team which shows the importance of how close we are,” Shideman said.

The girls basketball team spends their holidays together, taking time away from the court to get to know each other a little bit better. At their holiday party, they participate in games, have a secret santa, and learn more about each other’s interests outside of basketball. “It helps us get to know each other and spend time together outside the court,” junior Isabella Yacoub said.

The girls hockey team spends their holiday break also participating in secret Santa. However, the main event of their break is their annual alumni game. BSM girls hockey alumni play against the current Red Knight girls hockey team as they battle it out on the ice. “We get closer as a team and we have a lot more fun and make a lot of fun memories together,” junior Ella Pasqua said.

The boys hockey team are celebrating by being on the ice together as a team. Through December 27-29 the team will take on various teams at the St. Louis Park Recreation Center. Also during the break, hockey players will take part in a secret Santa gift exchange with team members. One player, junior Cameron Kirschner, remarks that getting to play and spend time with his teammates during the break makes the season more exciting. “Being on the ice with the boys and getting to play together without having to go to school is really fun,” Kirschner said.