Bonding on the Bus

One of the most taxing and exciting parts of being a Martlet Field Hockey player is the travel. The team competes in the OUA League, which means long commutes to Ontario every weekend.
Each Saturday, the girls roll out of bed in the early hours of the morning, haul backpacks and sports equipment over their shoulders, grab pillows under their arms, and trek up to Avenue du Pins to board the bus.
This past weekend, the team traveled to London, Ontario. By 5:30 Saturday morning, the bus was already packed and on its way. Since the team is relatively small, each player can take several seats on the bus for herself. Pillows propped against windows and feet spread across the aisles, the girls often take advantage of this spacious arrangement to find a comfortable position to sleep.
Although the 9-hour bus ride is exhausting, the time spent with the team helps bring the girls together. As the game drew nearer, DJ and Marlou held group meetings for the defense, midfield, forwards, and goalies. During these meetings, the coaches and players watched footage from previous games and discussed tactics for the upcoming weekend. When not sleeping or mentally preparing for the games, the girls passed the time bonding, doing homework, sleeping, and eating—a lot.
Aside from the long bus rides, team travel also means staying overnight in hotels and going out for team dinners. Last weekend the team stayed in a Holiday Inn, and the girls were definitely thrilled to find a connecting suite and kitchenette in each room. Room arrangements are shuffled every week so that the girls get a chance to know and bond with different members of the team as well. After showering and settling into the rooms, the team went to Jack Astors for dinner, and even DJ and Marlou joined the girls in drawing on the tables.