Team bonding may be the long-term gain

The Iowa State women’s basketball team spent Thanksgiving break in the Virgin Islands.

Three games and two wins later, the Cyclones return to the Midwest as runner-up in the Island Division of the Paradise Jam.

But, Coach Bill Fennelly felt before departure that the chance to bond as a team could be the biggest gain from spending seven days together. Fennelly said his club needed to become a better team and “and I don’t mean passing, catching and rebounding.”

Fennelly’s idea of a team is a group of people who care about one another and trust each other. His club, which features 10 players in their first or second year at ISU, is in the process of developing the proper chemistry.

Taking a long trip and spending so much time together should have an impact on creating team unity. Fennelly felt that there will be a greater appreciation for each other after spending a week away from home together.

The steady flow of Twitter feeds from the islands suggested the Cyclones had a good mix of practice, games and fun.

The Cyclones definitely made some progress on the court splitting games against nationally ranked TCU and West Virginia. However, the long-term impact on the “team” might be greater than a couple of wins by season’s end.

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