coaching staffs’ objectives for this program center around team-building,

coaching staffs’ objectives for this program center around team-building, not ball skills.”

Coach Eric Behrenshausen, host coach from Carlisle High School, organized a wonderful experience for the girls. His softball varsity and JV teams greeted the Rappahannock guests as they got off the bus at a conference center outside of Carlisle.

The Carlisle girls were already in the reception room waiting for their guests, and each Rappahannock girl was introduced to a Carlisle girl who was her “kindred spirit” for the weekend.

The girls stayed in dormtype rooms, with six girls per room, each room having three Carlisle and three Rappahannock girls close to their own age. After checking into their rooms the Carlisle team hosted a pizza party for the evening meal.

The girls were then divided into mixed teams, and went outside on a golf course in the dark to play a game of Capture the Flag. Coach Boddie was “impressed with the level of team-building, planning, communication and spirit of cooperation that all of the girls demonstrated while participating in the game”. The girls came in at nine and watched a movie together before turning in at 11.

The slumber party atmosphere carried on into the rooms, and the girls talked with their new friends late into the night, stumbling into the 7:45 breakfast a little sleepy.

After breakfast, the girls went to the gym and participated in another team-building exercise that required they work together and communicate in order to be successful.

The weather looked a little threatening, so the teams left the conference center earlier than planned and headed to the high school to try to get the double-header in before the rain.

The Carlisle hosts gave their visitors a tour of their high school facilities to include their team room, before heading out to the