A recent conversation between BYU basketball players Trey Stewart and Dallin Hall ended up with the freshman pontificating about “Star Wars” fan theories. So Stewart thought it would be a good idea to start a “Star Wars” movie night and watch them in chronological order.
The activity became a way for the BYU men’s basketball team to bond. There are 12 new players on the Cougars this season — some return missionaries, some transfers, some freshmen — and they want to put themselves in the best position to win a West Coast Conference championship and qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
With a brand new team, anything that can help expedite camaraderie is welcome.
“I think something as silly as that, like a ‘Star Wars’ movie night, is a cool way to bring guys together and find common ground and have some laughs and have some fun,” assistant coach Kahil Fennell said.
The movie nights have been hits with Hall, Tanner Toolson and Tanner Hayhurst, who all consider themselves big fans of the franchise.
“We could just talk about that for hours,” Toolson said.
But not every player has been indoctrinated into the world George Lucas built. Freshman Braeden Moore said he went to a few showings and “loves” the franchise, but is not as invested as some of his fellow teammates. Junior Noah Waterman only went to one showing.
“I’m not really a big Star Wars guy,” Waterman said, adding that the team has also gone to Top Golf and bowling.
The BYU women’s team has a similar challenge. After losing several key leaders from last year’s team and welcoming a new coaching staff, the women have found all sorts of ways to create a tight-knit bond.
The team eats together after most practices, junior Lauren Gustin said. New coach Amber Whiting said that on the first day of practice, she cooked the team eggs and healthy pancakes, went through what she calls her pillars of trust and had a conversation with the players.
“We just talked together and I made it so they had vulnerability in that moment and anything that we say in that space was protected,” Whiting said. “That’s how I want them to feel in the locker room, feel when they come to the offices, feel on the court so that they have that in us and have that trust.”
And recently, everyone retreated south to St. George, where they rode jet skis, laid out in the sun and played various minute-to-win-it games.
But the bonding activity the women seemed to recall with the most joy was a karaoke night where each class had to perform a song together.
Gustin, Kaylee Smiler and other elder players sang “Before He Cheats” by Carrie Underwood while wearing cowboy hats and boots and flannel shirts, and carrying baseball bats. Younger players like Amanda Barcello and Emma Calvert sang “Let Me Love You” by Mario.
The coaches showed their vocal chops, too. The entire group, led by Amber Whiting, sang “Kokamo” by the Beach Boys.
“It was really fun just kind of getting up there and being with the girls and watching the coaches kind of embarrass themselves,” Barcello said. “It was a really good bonding moment.”
