New Brandon boys soccer coach Nathan Hunter hopes he has started a tradition with the program.
Hunter and a group of 33 players from the varsity and junior varsity teams headed up north to Empire, near the Traverse City area, Aug. 10-14. The team worked on preseason conditioning and team-building exercises.
During each of the four days they were there, the team trained from 6 a.m.-8:30 p.m. Their training included sprints and a 6-1/2 mile run through Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park.
The Leelanau School provided their soccer fields and dining facilities to the BHS soccer team during their stay.
‘It was a really rewarding experience for our boys,? Hunter said. ‘We went up there as a group of individuals and came back as a team. The boys really pushed themselves and came back as a unit.?
The trip wouldn’t have been possible without a little help from the team’s main cheering section, Hunter said.
‘Several of the parents were invaluable in terms of support and transporting the players,? he said. ‘We’re going to try and keep it as a tradition at Brandon for years to come.?
The Blackhawks will get several early opportunities to put the skills they learned at the camp to good use.
Brandon opened their season Friday, Aug. 22 (after this issue went to press), as they hosted North Branch. Their next action is Monday, Aug. 25 when they travel to Pontiac Notre Dame Prep for a 7 p.m. contest.