On a leadership retreat to the glorious mountains of Colorado over the summer, eight UTA student-athletes from the baseball, softball, and track teams spent seven days whitewater rafting, hiking, and camping.
"This was a valuable life-skills experience for our student-athletes," says Tim Kennedy, student-athlete development specialist. "I got to witness them get taken out of their comfort zones, make the needed adjustments, and press through their challenges."
Some of those challenges included hiking up to high altitudes and climbing and camping in inclement weather.
"I learned there are better ways to handle adversities in your life," says Tori Shelton, a senior on the track team. "At the end of the day, you need to evaluate what you did and the possibilities of making it better the next time. I am just thankful that Tim took us on this trip so we could discover these things about ourselves."
Fostering relationships was a tremendous byproduct of the leadership retreat, and those bonds are sure to live on well after their athletic careers conclude.
"You won't look back at your ERA—you are going to remember the relationships you made," says sophomore Logan Austin, a pitcher on the baseball team. "That is what I am going to remember the most. I went in not knowing anybody, and I made some friends that will be lifelong."
