“How this developed was Lieutenant Colonel Kerry Norman and I were trying to create an association between ROTC cadets and our team and she invited us to come down to Fort Lewis for this leadership event,” said head coach Joan Bonvicini. “I thought it’d be an outstanding opportunity for us and I know there were a number of challenges, it was wet and cold, but it was a great bonding experience for our team.”
Returning members of the women’s basketball team worked through various challenges and participated in obstacle courses with the ROTC cadets as part of the afternoon. The team looks forward to the increased and continued relationship with the ROTC program as they plan to participate in other similar events this fall and in the future.
“I think, number one, [our team] admires the ROTC cadets and what they do,” Bonvicini continued. “We only did it for the afternoon, but [the cadets] were staying, sleeping in tents, and doing it for the weekend. I [would hope we learned how to] get through tough times and challenges together and finding a way to finish. You have to have a goal and, though there are challenges along the way, you find a way to accomplish that goal.”
Below, several members of the team who participated in the event share their thoughts and what they learned through the experience.
Kristin Stoffel: We really got to work on mental toughness. We were broken into groups of four, paired with different groups of ROTC students and we learned look out formations and had to complete missions on different courses throughout the forest. We had to be mentally tough to problem solve while in a downpour of rain! After the event, we all had a much deeper appreciation for the hard work that ROTC and anyone in our armed forces puts in to protect our nation.
Ashlyn Lewey: The event really showed us what a day would look like in the field. The weather conditions made the mission we had to complete event more difficult, but it made us all work together and build some mental toughness. It was great getting to know the ROTC members and I can’t wait for next year’s trip.
Delanie Parry: This experience was mentally challenging and created a good team environment. I think it furthered our respect for the military and also was a great way for us to come together [as a team] and have fun!
Kaylee Best: The men and women of ROTC were great hosts and it gave us a good insight into how hard they work day in and day out. With a small glimpse of the hard work it takes to be a part of ROTC, my already high regard for these men and women grew even more. Despite the weather conditions, the members of ROTC helped us keep smiles on our faces and made us feel right at home.