Camping trip aims to produce long-term benefit

Head coach Allison Lawrence is willing to make short-term sacrifices for long-term gains.

That's why on Tuesday, in the middle of two-a-days and just more than a week from opening the 2018 volleyball season, the Grizzlies packed their bags and headed north for Flathead Lake.

The Grizzlies were going camping!

"There's just something about getting away from volleyball for a bit," Lawrence said. "Whether it's to clear their heads in the middle of an exhausting period of time or to connect on a different level, I just find it to be so valuable."

Lawrence knows there's work to be done on the court. There are freshmen to work in, rotations to be mastered and lineups to be set. She knows there's not enough time to do it all.

But she also knows the importance of team chemistry and togetherness, and that in order to meet your goals on the court, sometimes you have to step away from it.

Short-term sacrifice. Long-term gain.

So Montana went to the woods. They pitched tents and cooked food. They spent time in the water and did team-building exercises. And they didn't talk about volleyball.

"Every year, I come back from our camping trip a little bit more recharged and ready to go," junior middle blocker McKenzie Kramer said. "You go there thinking you know your teammates and come back having a whole new perspective."

The camping trip is something the Grizzlies have been doing for several years, and something Lawrence adopted when she became head coach prior to last season.

In some ways, the trip is a chance to step back and relax in the middle of a grueling training camp. Kramer said her favorite part is being able to get in the water, whether that's paddle boarding, kayaking or just taking a dip in the pristine lake.

(8/17/2018) VB Camping Trip

Freshman Kelsey Nestegard acknowledged how, by getting away, she got to know her new teammates on a different level. Sure, they're around each other almost 24/7 during camp, but how much can you really get to know a teammate while sweating through drills or eating another meal in the Food Zoo?

"I'm really thankful for the camping trip," Nestegard said. "The upperclassmen have been so welcoming since I got here, but I feel like I got to connect with everybody on a deeper level on the trip. It's nice to be together and not have to think about volleyball."

There's the team benefit that brings the Grizzlies back to Flathead Lake each fall, but the view doesn't hurt either. After all, Lawrence said, how can she not take advantage of such a beautiful setting just 70 miles away from campus?

"I don't know a single person that goes there and isn't in awe," she said. "We live in a beautiful part of the country, and we want our players to enjoy it, especially some of our freshmen who maybe have never experienced it before."

University of Montana Athletics

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