Whether they are pushing through a run along Kosh trail or scoring the winning touchdown at a high-stakes game, athletes at Westminster know that their team means more than the scoreboard. All sports across campus share a culture of trust, support, and community.
Throughout Westminster, the girls cross country team is known for its strong sense of unity. Despite the individual nature of the sport, the team operates like a family through its unconditional support and encouragement for one another.
“We’re called the sisterhood, and I think aptly so,” said captain Bethany Chern. “The team is less about who’s the best and more about everyone collectively getting better and supporting each other in that journey.”
With nearly 120 athletes on the cross country team, it can seem difficult to build deep connections with the other girls. However, the captains and coaches work hard to ensure everyone feels a sense of belonging.
“We try to do pasta dinners…and sister groups, which are not just upperclassmen, but girls from all grades,” said Chern. “We have sister group sleepovers and get dinner together.”
As the season gets underway, it is clear girls cross country is about so much more than just the competition. For runners like Chern, the sense of community is what makes the sport meaningful.
While mental support is crucial, physical trust and coordination are equally essential to a team’s success. Sports like cheerleading require immense teamwork and communication for peak performance. Whether during pep rallies, practices, or football games, every stunt and movement relies on the athletes working together seamlessly. Strong relationships between the cheerleaders are vital for a successful season.
“Everyone is super close and the community we have built is really tight-knit. I know that in a tough situation I can lean on anyone for support,” said freshman Reid Adams. “We go to dinner after practices together sometimes, and just hanging out with each other every day for two and a half hours makes you closer.”
In the past year, a few teams, like cheer and football, have made a change in their selection process, now allowing freshmen to play on varsity. While difference in age can sometimes hinder team dynamics, Westminster teams have excelled at fostering inclusivity and building a unified team culture.
“The different grade levels don’t affect the sense of community much. You become close with everyone throughout the season and you stop thinking about people by their grade level and start thinking of them as just your teammates and friends,” said Adams.
Athletes are not the only ones who appreciate the tight-knit community Westminster sports have to offer. Families, coaches, and staff are all extremely proud of the support and spirit that athletics bring to campus.
“I actually think that the most important thing that athletics breeds is this sense of connection and feeling like you are part of something that’s bigger than yourself,” said Director of Athletics Shannon Soares. Soares’s favorite part of working in athletics at Westminster is seeing the community, joy, and development among the 1,000 students who engage in sports on campus.
The student athletic advisory council has even installed a subcommittee that focuses on school spirit and peer support, seeking to drive engagement and increase the number of students that show up to games other than football and basketball. Small steps like this greatly contribute to helping students feel like they are a part of something bigger than themselves.
As the school year begins, teams are filled with changes and new faces, yet the traditions and connections remain the same. Sports teach students the significance of showing up for one another, no matter the situation. The support and sense of belonging fostered through athletics extend far beyond the field, forming lasting bonds and lifelong communities.
Edited by Margaret Sands
