The definition of bonding has to do with building relationships and making them stronger. Sports teams need to be able to work together, and team bonding lets them do so. Freedom’s baseball, softball and track teams all bond in unique ways. Baseball: “I would say [bonding] is doing stuff together outside of school or sports and including everyone on the team in whatever it is we do,” Junior Matt Feits said. The baseball team mostly bonds through practice, but they occasionally hang out afterward and go out to eat, according to Senior Colin Macon. This includes anyone and everyone on the team; if the team is planning something, there are always open spots. “Simple things such as spending time with teammates outside of practice can help us build team chemistry and succeed on the field,” Macon said. Bonding isn’t just about becoming closer as friends, but becoming closer as teammates. “When you get in a slump or something like that, your teammates have to pick you up and support you,” Senior Sam Beckey said. Softball: Softball players are also out there having fun together on the diamond. A normal practice can be the main time to get to know the players on the team. But the real fun begins when the coach adds in some team-building games. According to Senior Caitie Bohach, some of the games include flipping over a quilt and not falling off, obstacle courses and pin the tail on the donkey. These are all made to help the girls trust one another equally. Previously, the team hasn’t done much personal bonding outside of practice, but this season the seniors are looking to change that. Sophomore Kristy Sturgess is specifically looking forward to spending more time together. “[Bonding] is exciting because it will bring us all together, and we will work better as a team. Playing sports with friends will make it more fun and when we all get along; we will play better together on the field,” Sturgess said. Track and Field: With track and field, it is uncommon for everyone in every event to be extremely close. Usually most events have different levels of their own bonding, but again, as with softball and baseball, most is done at practice. The throwers throw, the sprinters and jumpers work out and the long-distance athletes run together. Compared to all of the other athletes, the long-distance team has a peculiar relationship, and this is because of bonding year-round while running. These athletes spend a lot of time running together because it is something they all have in common. “We’re friends outside of track. So sometimes we go out to eat or just hang out and stuff. Otherwise, going through pain together [while] running is like bonding,” Senior Noah Marks said. All of the other events have their own way of growing stronger, though. Junior Lizzy VanDeCar said that the javelin throwers “bond by helping each other and the new people and making up games to make the practices more fun.” The sprinter are different and get closer by “just running and warming up together” Sophomore Tina Davis said. They all come together after invitational’s and far away meets to eat at McDonald’s, and not to mention the fun bus rides to and from. In the end, everyone needs to come together to come up with the right amount of points to win the meet. At Freedom, this is not such a hard task. It may sound cliché, but every high school sports team is going to have their ups and downs, and connecting is the perfect way to keep the good going strong.