One and the Same

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The Virginia softball team used a recent weekend in September to accomplish two things: take part in a community service and do some team bonding. The Cavaliers took a trip up Humpback Rock. On the way to the top, they picked up trash and cleaned the trail. There also were some team bonding exercises involved, according to first-year head coach Eileen Schmidt, an advocate of community service.

“Community service is so important and so forgotten,” Schmidt said. “What ends up happening is we get so tied up in our lives and what is going on with just our world that we lose the greater focus of what is going on not only in our immediate community, but in our world community. In the past I have always asked each player on my teams to do 20 hours of community service per year. That is not a lot when you think about how important and influential the student-athlete is in the community.

“The University of Virginia prides itself and has a great tradition of community involvement. So the individual requirement is already being done. Our players have made it a team mission to do one community outreach event per month as a group. This helps not only with team unity but sets the tone for the younger players on the importance of priorities and involvement.”

The softball team currently is continuing to compete in fall ball, with a scrimmage at George Mason at 2 p.m. Saturday. The Cavaliers also will play one final scrimmage at 1 p.m. next Sunday against Bridgewater at The Park.