News Article
Our Bus Trip Weekend to Memphis & Back Home
Dec 12 2012 -
Top Ten Activities for a LONG Bus Ride with your Soccer Team!*
By Kristin Englehart, Girls Director of Coaching & U16 Girls MRL Coach
10) Partner Competitions. Choose partners at random (parents, family members and players) and have them compete in three competitions for points. The competitions we used were Travel Bingo, Barrel of Monkeys (races) and Word Searches (related to the team)
9) Ping Pong Ball Races. Each row had two empty paper towel rolls. We started at the front of the bus on each side. The players and/or family members in the aisle played the first round. They had to transfer a ping pong ball from paper towel roll to paper towel roll (without touching the ball) all the way to the back of the bus and back. If they dropped the ball, they had to go back to the previous row.
8) Sing-a-longs and Dance Competitions. Teams of three or four (parents, family members and/or players) competed and were graded on effort, enthusiasm and synchronization. They spent time choreographing their performances -- good teamwork was critical! You know you're succeeding in your team bonding effort when two soccer moms perform "Rapper's Delight" for everyone on the bus. :)
7) Blindfolded Drawing Competitions. Two groups of partners competed at a time. Each group had one partner that was blindfolded and one partner that was providing instruction. The blindfolded partner had to draw on a mini white board. The other partner was given a word such as "house." They had to get their partner to draw a better house than the other group in the amount of time given. The blindfolded partner did not know what she was supposed to draw. She just listened to the cues and specific drawing instructions that her partner gave her.
6) Dynamic stretching (together) and group juggling at rest stops
5) New (or guest) player induction ceremony. We introduced our new players to everyone on the bus and made them read our team quote aloud
4) Player Trivia. We came up with 3 pages of questions to ask about members of our own team. Everyone else on the bus had to guess which player we were referring to. This helps you to become that much closer and more familiar with your teammates!
3) Relay Races at rest stops. We allowed players and family members (and our bus driver) to participate in this one. We did piggyback races. Four teams racing at the same time. Each person in line had to take turns carrying the person behind them. The first team to get all the way through their team won.
2) Use the microphone and loud music and introduce your players as if they are coming onto the court for an NBA game. :) Make your players start at the back of the bus and come through the aisles giving high fives to everyone.
1) Team Story. Players and parents were given different story prompts based on our four-year history. They had most of the day to compose their part of the story on an index card. They spoke openly about our victories and defeats, the challenges we have faced and how we have come together as a team. The team captains read the completed story aloud during the last leg of our trip. It was a pretty moving story!
*The keys to success on a long bus trip with your team are to 1) find ways to get players/parents out of their comfort zones, 2) keep the games light-hearted and FUN and, 3) USE the time to bring your team together.
To My Team,
This weekend, I remembered that team unity and positivity are extremely powerful. We have a very special group here that believes this. We can accomplish anything we want to together. And our victories are that much sweeter because of where we came from, who we are and how we achieve these victories. THANK YOU ALL for being a part of this (our journey as a team). A huge thank you to all that made this trip to TN possible -- that wild and crazy bus ride brought us all together and I'm sure the girls will remember it forever!
