The Perfect Dartmouth Winter

As a beach girl and player from Santa Cruz, California, the concept of a New England winter, let alone the Polar Vortex, was both daunting and exciting.  But honestly, it’s much better than people make it out to be. Although cold is not a fit description for the morning walks to conditioning, maybe frigid tundra would be more suitable, the right down-coat and gloves make it manageable. In fact, Hanover’s winter has brought us closer together as a team and provided some great bonding opportunities and memories. 

This past week has been my favorite of the term by far. We’ve had a lot going on, including sporting events, volunteering, and four birthdays (mine, Holly, Molly, and Paige). Last Saturday (the 26^th) we all met up at the Dartmouth Men’s Basketball game against Harvard where we volunteered our very own Emily Astarita to participate in one of the halftime shows. Emily, always the competitor, made us proud and took home a special prize! After the game, my teammates took me out for a birthday dinner at Molly’s Restaurant, which hands down made my day.

On Sunday (the 27^th) we volunteered for the Special Olympics held at our very own Dartmouth Skiway. We started our adventure by catching the bus outside of the HOP (Hopkins Center) and singing along to the bus’ music all the way to the Skiway. Getting off the bus we began our trek to our volunteer spot – cheering on the skiers at the top of the hill. We had no idea how amusing and difficult this climb was going to be. A chairlift would’ve come in handy! We had trips and falls and at certain points were crawling to get up slippery parts. Reaching the top was worth the comical struggle of our climb though.

As each contestant started the race, we burst into cheers. It was extremely rewarding to see the pride and sense of accomplishment as the athletes pushed out of the starting gate. Some contestants clanked their poles together heading into the first turn, expressing delight and gratitude. It was an experience we will always remember and reminds us how lucky we are to be collegiate athletes. Dartmouth athletes. When the skiers had gone and it was time to leave, we began our treacherous descent. To onlookers, we must’ve seemed like buffoons. Every few steps one of us would fall, sliding down the hill consumed with laughter. It was definitely a team effort to get everyone down in one piece: we even had to carry a few teammates at certain parts. It’s a good thing we’re working out and staying fit!

In addition to practice and conditioning this week, we’ve pushed to our limits in the weight room – literally. One of our goals this term is to be a top team in the weight room. We’ve tested for our maximums in Squat, Bench, Hang cleans, Verticals, 10 yard-dash, and Pro Agility. As each member of our team strives to set a personal record, the bond we have as a team is strengthening and flexing as well. The support and encouragement heard during these sessions is inspiring. The gym falls silent and all we can here are the voices of our team yelling and cheering at the top of our lungs, pushing our teammates to do better and succeed.

 

This term is flying by so fast, it’s hard to remember that we have already had a month of classes. I’m so excited to spend the rest of my time here at Dartmouth with my lovely teammates and look forward to making more memories with them. They make my day everyday with their gut laughter, smiles, support, and kindness; my time here wouldn’t be the same without this part of my family. Go Big Green!

Kendall Ronzano '17