Need ideas on TEAM BUILDING and FUN for a college team

Kissing the homies goodnight won us an RMAC title

Mini golf

Thanks! That's actually available in town.

team dinners. Make them themed. BBQ night. Pasta night. whatever you wanna do.

Movie nights. Off season camp-outs, if that's something you can do in your area. Sports parties (football sunday, etc.)

Give them a space that is available to them whenever they need it. Your office, for example. If you feel comfortable with this, make them feel welcome in your home.

Some of the best team bonding is unplanned. This could be hard to participate in if you're a coach, but late-night food runs with the boys were some of the best team bonding we had.

The key is to spend as much time with each other as possible.

Streak the quad

A few cases of beer for the trip back from XC meets always worked for us.

• Hike
• Bike Ride
• Float down the river
• Swim in the lake
• Cooking a meal for each other
• Teammates who write notes of appreciation for each other
• Roller Skating/Ice Skating
• Arcades
• Volleyball
• BBQ
• Impromptu Dances for Tik Tok
• Karaoke
• Go Kart
• Board Games that encourage quality time or shared conversation
• Painting/Arts and Crafts
• Art Exhibit
• Museum
• Six Flags
• Apple Picking
• Decorating dorm rooms for incoming freshman/Offices for returning staff-faculty
• Go to the Zoo, Community Park or Aquarium

Texas A@M men's and women's 800 meter runners use to go bowling and then hit up a pasta place.

I think the best way to stoke a positive team atmosphere would be to have the ideas come from your athletes. I would choose a few upperclassmen on both the men's ans women's side and talk to them about what ideas they would have and try to get them to set it up. It's going to seem a lot more organic when you have athletes running that kind of stuff rather than coaches.

Ugh, hate team building...

Thanks for all the helpful suggestions!

Start with talking to the team about season goals.

Make sure your group knows how to qualify for conference, regionals, and nationals.

Keep things positive.

Emphasize progress in fitness.

Visualize success during workouts.

Do those trust building exercises where people fall backward and other people catch them.

Hell we used to naked relays.

d1 runner here, the mini golf, team meals with the coaches, and other general team activities planned by the coaches were always okay...

best memories were always whatever activities we'd get up to during preseason, training camp, travel meets, spring break track trips, etc. the most fun was just the guys figuring out our own stuff to do

oh, and of course all the team parties, getting stoned, shenanigans in the summer... we were college kids after all

Also make sure your team knows the places for

All conference, all regionals, all American

Number of teams that get trophies

Scores and places that it takes to win conference, regionals, nationals

Know your team history

Top team finishes, top individual finishes

Local Rivalries

This is a good starting point. You can appoint or have a vote for team captains (2+ male and female). Part of their job will be to brainstorm and organize team-building events. One good idea is to assign a big brother/sister to every new athlete on the team so they fit in quickly. The team captains also can help communicate between the coaching staff and the whole team.

Get one runner to dress up as a fox and the rest chase him through the woods.