This winter, Vis has wide participation in several sports including alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, hockey, and basketball. This article will highlight each winter sport and the many opportunities they can bring. Playing sports isn’t just about the race or game, it’s about creating a sense of community and trying your best at something you love. Here at Visitation, our winter sports embody this idea. 

The Visitation Alpine Team is coached by Ellie and John Frischmen. The team’s favorite memory this season has been seeing Frannie’s ski outfits and the first day skiing on snow. During practice the team loves cheering each other on while going through the course. The skiers also love before practice coffee runs and funny chairlift rides. Their favorite race are Buck Hill races because they are able to have all their fans present! Another team favorite is sections because they can spend quality time with each other throughout the entire day. A team tradition that is loved by all skiers is carpooling. Carpooling gives teammates the opportunity to bond with each other outside of ski practice. No matter where you are with the team, you are always having fun on the alpine team!

The Visitation Hockey Team is coached by Billy Bellmore, Tony Hoops, and Katelyn Verize. The team’s favorite part of practice is playing small area games! It is a great way to fine tune their game, and it offers healthy competition between the team members. It is also a great way to get to know teammates with different playing styles. The hockey team loved playing Breck in the Edina outdoor rink because the energy on the bench was electric, and it was fun to celebrate. The team was most excited for the road trip to Morris because it was a great way to get to know everybody and they got to come away with some wins. The team tradition loved by all is the stretching circle at the end of each practice. The hockey team at Visitation is like no other and has an amazing community within the players!

The Visitation Basketball Team is coached by Coach Faith Johnson Patterson, Coach Bob Willey, Ed Overall, Coach Patterson, and Jordan Hove. The team’s favorite part of practice is scrimmaging and running drills because it gives them a chance to play against each other, compete, and also help each other become better players. The team’s favorite memory so far this season was the team sleepover. It was an amazing opportunity to bond with the younger teammates and become really get close with each other. The sleepover brought the entire team closer together and improved team chemistry on the court. Another memory that the team loved is when the coach surprised the team with alumni visitors! The players got to scrimmage and practice with them which was exciting for all involved. This season, the team’s favorite game was against Two Rivers. It was over winter break, and several alumni came to watch. The team played really hard, and it helped having an electric fan section! The team tradition loved by all is getting to go to the gas station before practice and Jimmy John’s before games. The basketball team has one message for everyone reading: they would love it if more people came to home games!

The Visitation Cross Country Ski team is coached by Katie George and Anita Burg. The team’s favorite practice is Friday fun days because they get to play games that are exciting but also help with elements of skiing. The team also enjoys waxing their skis together behind the monastery, giving them the opportunity to bond with each other. The team’s favorite memory so far has been the Maplelag Ski Resort trip! The trails were beautiful, and the team got to ski together all day long! Several noted that cookies and hot chocolate everyday was a huge bonus! The team is looking forward to the costume relay at Como park. They get the opportunity to wear costumes with other teams and have a carefree time skiing. Their favorite trail is Theodore Wirth, and they are excited for all the races they get to race there. Visitation Nordic team has a fun and encouraging atmosphere, and like the basketball team, they would love to have more supporters come out to watch them race!