TEAM SPIRIT From hiking up mountains to hitting up thrift stores, many teammates spend time off the field and court experiencing their new home together. Many team traditions are focused on the campus or the surrounding area. Homecoming is always a memorable occasion for the basketball teams, according to Gleeson. “Painting the school purple is so amazing and fun, especially because so many alumni come back to campus,” she said. “The amount of support we get from the community during that event and throughout the season is so valuable.” The women’s basketball team also started a ritual during Christmas break of holding a party for all of the student-athletes still on campus. “We all get dressed up, we eat and make gingerbread houses, and we even come up with a dance routine to perform,” Gleeson said. The cheerleading team holds a scavenger hunt on campus each year. “We run around campus together, and it’s a big bonding experience,” said Magee. “Even though there isn’t much in Young Harris besides the campus, the people here keep you occupied with fun things to do.” From playing the soccer video game FIFA in their residence halls on chilly winter weekends to hitting the “beach” in Hiawassee on Lake Chatuge during warm summer months, the men’s soccer team finds ways to hang out no matter what the season.
Revon Magee, of Miramar, Fla., Breanna Gleeson, of Adelaide, Australia, Niall McCabe, of Dublin, Ireland, and Steve Viterbo, of Melbourne, Australia, stood near the entrance to the Old Wagon Trail behind campus.
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“The area allows us as a team to bond in ways many other schools can’t. After practice during the preseason, we hang out and get to know each other better,” said McCabe. “Being so secluded also allows us to really focus on soccer and not let any distractions take us away from our goals.” The cross country team makes conditioning more engaging by holding “adventure runs”—a runner’s version of “follow the leader” through fields, creeks, puddles and mud. “By the end of it, we are tired, wet and dirty, but those are definitely the best practices,” said Dippold. “Jumping in the creeks and rivers and hiking up the mountains to see the views are fun things we get to do together.” When asked the best part about attending YHC, most studentathletes talked about the people they have met. Words like “nice,” “caring,” “helpful” and “friendly” came up often and were used to describe both the locals and members of the campus community. “The old-timey country feel that people from home always thought was just in the movies is actually real life,” said Gleeson. “People are always willing to lend a hand or help you in any way they can, whether it be a ride to the store or inviting you to stay with their families for holidays,” added McCabe. Bitok and Edwards agreed that bigger is not always better, and the benefits of a close-knit campus also extend into the classroom. “I like that fact that it’s a small campus and there aren’t a lot of distractions. I’m able to settle in and focus while getting a lot of oneon-one attention,” said Edwards. “I like that Young Harris is small,” added Bitok. “Everything I need is right here.”