Josh Sarl, sports editor 

On Sept. 19, the Center for Wellness and Counselling (CWC) gave Augsburg students the opportunity to get in touch with nature and enjoy a weekend of fun activities. 

This retreat was held at Camp Friendship, which is situated on Clearwater Lake and provided the perfect location for kayaking, canoeing, climbing and other sporting activities. I made the decision, amongst many other fantastic people, to take this trip so I could recenter myself around nature and escape the bustle of city-life. As was the same for AL, a fellow student on the trip that I had the pleasure of interviewing; “Getting to spend a few nights removed from that and seeing the natural beauty this world has to offer in its woods, lakes and sky is a nice perspective switch.” But the retreat offered so much more than just touching grass. It gave those certain students, who are not typically involved in the sporting culture around Augsburg, a chance to get involved in sports and enjoy the benefits. 

Whether it was volleyball, football (or soccer, if you will insist), frisbee, climbing, table tennis, or kayaking, the retreat felt centred around inspiring students to explore their talents and challenge themselves. From the jump, the group established a joint goal to explore abilities at our own paces. This created a very supportive environment, which allowed us to set targets and reach them with the help of others. 

As I watched people overcome fears on the climbing wall and lend helping hands on tightropes, I knew that the retreat would fit within this sports column. I got the feeling that the retreat allowed people to get involved with sports and exercise without the added caveats that often come with it. AL highlights the benefits of more informal sporting activities, saying that “you can engage in movement in a less disordered way. It is not always about changing the shape of your body, it becomes about teamwork, skill improvement, and having fun.”

Sure, pressure, physicality, defeat, glory and sweat provide the right conditions for an enjoyable game of professional football, but for many this might feel exclusive and perhaps overwhelming. When these pressures are taken off and we remember why we are playing these sports in the first place, for enjoyment, different communities can fully get involved and enjoy the beauty of sports. Tiril Steinsland comments, “I think physical activity makes you feel really good, and you stop stressing about other things.”

Kasi Leslia, who was also on the retreat and has experience in running and weightlifting notes that she “personally ha[s] increased mental wellbeing when [she] work[s] out.” These effects were certainly clear whenever the group would touch base around the campfire at the end of the day. I would recommend to any reader to take these opportunities when presented, as they create memories for life and much needed natural endorphins.