Anyone taking a stroll along the pond behind the Prayer Towers on the CIU campus may have had to take a double take. Members of the women’s softball team were trying to cross the pond in some strange watercraft.

It was a team-building exercise. The players were divided up into smaller teams. Each team had a $20 budget and was required to use at least five materials to build a boat that could “sail” one member of their team across the pond.

“Everyone had to work together to plan and build their boat, and nothing could be constructed prior to the day of the race,” explained Head Softball Coach Sara Allen. “Teams were awarded points based on creativity, teamwork, following instructions, the quality of construction of the boat, and the place the boat finished in the race.”

Allen says the main goal was to give the players a teamwork challenge that stretched them outside of their comfort zone.

“It requires quite a bit of communication, planning, and creativity, so the hope was that they would form a deeper level of connection to each other through this challenge,” Allen said.

But Allen adds there are other benefits.   

“The majority of the time we spend together is in practice and games, and during those times we must focus on our sport so much that there’s not a lot of space to relax and enjoy each other,” Allen said. “(We) get to know a different side of the players’ personalities and to see how they think, strategize and communicate outside of softball.”  

And one more thing about all this creative splish splash.

“It’s just fun, and we love having fun!”

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