CHEBOYGAN – When the Cheboygan girls soccer team returned to practice this week, they were given an option.
Because of cold and snowy weather conditions, they could either stay inside, or they could build toughness and togetherness by testing the elements on their home pitch.
The Chiefs, who hadn’t kicked a soccer ball in weeks because of spring break and then a destructive ice storm, went with the latter.
And for the most part, they looked at home on Wednesday as they worked together and enjoyed themselves during a solid session directed by coaches Tom Markham and Seth Duncan.
“It brings joy,” Cheboygan senior right winger Addy Baldwin said. “I haven’t had a lot of interactions with my soccer teammates over break, so being able to reconnect, build a family, it’s kind of good for everyone. It’s good to be back on the field with our teammates, getting our chemistry down. We’ve got a game on Monday, so it’s about preparing for that.”
Originally slated to resume practice following spring break last week, Cheboygan’s squad – along with many other teams throughout Northern Michigan – saw things get halted following the ice storm. While school won’t resume until Thursday, practice was a go for the Chiefs, who logged in a few outdoor sessions over at the Garfield soccer facility prior to spring break.
“It’s been so hard – I was literally crying because I couldn’t see any of my friends or teammates at soccer,” Cheboygan sophomore midfielder Elise Markham said. “Honestly, it’s kind of fun when you have a rainy practice or a snowy practice. You kind of get a little dirty and you kind of laugh because there’s nothing you can really do about the weather. It really puts into perspective where you’re at as a team.
“I was saying that this is like Christmas for me to get to play.”
There was snow on the ground, but the Chiefs, who haven’t practiced in weeks, used it to their benefit.
“We could’ve pushed off practicing outside and practiced indoors, but being out here, the ball rolls a lot different than it does in the gym,” Baldwin said. “It’s good to get the width of the field and the length. It’s more cardio on the field than it is indoors.”
If all goes right regarding the weather, Cheboygan’s season will finally begin with a 5 p.m. clash at Kingsley on Monday, April 12. The matchup marks the first game of the Northern Shores Conference era for the Chiefs, who are relishing the challenge of facing stiffer competition.
“I think we’re embracing them well,” Markham said. “I think our last conference was kind of like, ‘OK, now we get to be challenged,’ and I think a lot of people are willing to rise up to that.”
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: After weeks of no practice, Cheboygan girls soccer back in snowy conditions
CHEBOYGAN – When the Cheboygan girls soccer team returned to practice this week, they were given an option.
Because of cold and snowy weather conditions, they could either stay inside, or they could build toughness and togetherness by testing the elements on their home pitch.
The Chiefs, who hadn’t kicked a soccer ball in weeks because of spring break and then a destructive ice storm, went with the latter.
And for the most part, they looked at home on Wednesday as they worked together and enjoyed themselves during a solid session directed by coaches Tom Markham and Seth Duncan.
“It brings joy,” Cheboygan senior right winger Addy Baldwin said. “I haven’t had a lot of interactions with my soccer teammates over break, so being able to reconnect, build a family, it’s kind of good for everyone. It’s good to be back on the field with our teammates, getting our chemistry down. We’ve got a game on Monday, so it’s about preparing for that.”
Originally slated to resume practice following spring break last week, Cheboygan’s squad – along with many other teams throughout Northern Michigan – saw things get halted following the ice storm. While school won’t resume until Thursday, practice was a go for the Chiefs, who logged in a few outdoor sessions over at the Garfield soccer facility prior to spring break.
“It’s been so hard – I was literally crying because I couldn’t see any of my friends or teammates at soccer,” Cheboygan sophomore midfielder Elise Markham said. “Honestly, it’s kind of fun when you have a rainy practice or a snowy practice. You kind of get a little dirty and you kind of laugh because there’s nothing you can really do about the weather. It really puts into perspective where you’re at as a team.
“I was saying that this is like Christmas for me to get to play.”
There was snow on the ground, but the Chiefs, who haven’t practiced in weeks, used it to their benefit.
“We could’ve pushed off practicing outside and practiced indoors, but being out here, the ball rolls a lot different than it does in the gym,” Baldwin said. “It’s good to get the width of the field and the length. It’s more cardio on the field than it is indoors.”
If all goes right regarding the weather, Cheboygan’s season will finally begin with a 5 p.m. clash at Kingsley on Monday, April 12. The matchup marks the first game of the Northern Shores Conference era for the Chiefs, who are relishing the challenge of facing stiffer competition.
“I think we’re embracing them well,” Markham said. “I think our last conference was kind of like, ‘OK, now we get to be challenged,’ and I think a lot of people are willing to rise up to that.”
Contact sports editor Jared Greenleaf at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter @sportsCDT
This article originally appeared on Cheboygan Daily Tribune: After weeks of no practice, Cheboygan girls soccer back in snowy conditions
