Camping trip bonds Ramblers

When Winthrop High School girls soccer coach Marc Fortin had to cancel the team’s preseason camping trip to attend to his ailing father, he could sense the team’s disappointment.
Fortin quickly rescheduled the trip for a few days later and 23 of his players cleared their calendars. Fortin has been taking the trips for the past seven or eight years and they’ve proven to be one of the highlights of the season.
“I use it as a selling feature all year long,” he said. “I’m competing against field hockey. I’m selling my program.”
Fortin got the idea after watching the University of Maine cross country team take a similar camping trip at nearby Camp Mechuwana a few years ago. His team originally went to Acadia National Park where they biked trails and watched the sun rise on the Eastern seaboard. But lately, it’s been a three-day hike and camp-out at Bigelow Mountain at the end of the Appalachian Trail.
“We put the girls in some extreme situations,” he said. “It breaks down the barriers pretty well.”
The first day of the trip the team stops in Farmington along the way for some shopping and they go out to eat. They walk into Long Falls on the Dead River and the dam on Flagstaff Lake where they set up camp.
“We cook dinner and it’s basically dark,” he said. “Every kid brings snack to share. We get the fire going and sit around telling jokes and stories.”
The group gets up around 6 for the nine-mile round-trip hike at Bigelow Mountain.
“It’s very rugged and challenging,” Fortin said.
The next morning they sleep in, pack up and bring camp, getting home about 1 p.m.
The food is basic — burgers, hot dogs, fruits and salads. Parents Gina Richards donated her bus driving services while Phil Sekerak, another parent, led the hike up the mountain. Fortin and assistant coach Jane Belanger also chaperoned.
The cost of the trip is $50 per player but Fortin points out no one is denied the experience whether they can afford it or not. He’s found it a great way to bond the team and start the season.
“It’s unbelievable,” he said.