Cura Personathletes

This past weekend I attended the inaugural Hoya Athlete Retreat. The Hoya Athlete Retreat was created this year in order to give Georgetown student athletes an opportunity to escape the hectic schedule on the Hilltop for 24 hours, and reflect on the Jesuit value of cura personalis. Deciding to attend this retreat was easily one of the best decisions I’ve made thus far at Georgetown. Between practice twice a day, travelling back and forth to competitions on the weekends, keeping up with schoolwork, and somehow finding time for a job and clubs, I very rarely take time for myself. Even if by some miracle I do have any free time in my day, my thoughts immediately turn to sleep or food. The Athlete Retreat provided me with an invaluable opportunity to relax, reflect, and get to know my fellow athletes better– with the added bonus of getting more than 4-5 hours of sleep in a night. I was able to put life on hold for 24 hours and really reflect on where I am at in life and what I can do to make my time on the Hilltop more fulfilling and enjoyable.

Creating a retreat specifically for athletes was crucial because student athletes have a very unique college experience. With daily schedules calculated to utilize every last minute of the day, student athletes rarely schedule in personal time or time to stop and have meaningful conversations with those around them. Georgetown prides itself on the Jesuit ideal of cura personalis, which means care for the entire person. Student athletes obviously care for their bodies physically through exercise, but they often neglect other key elements such as mental health, sleep, and spiritual development. The retreat allowed athletes to reflect on upon how they embody cura personalis, as well as other talents and interests they may have outside of sports and academics.

Moving forward I cannot wait for future Athlete retreats. I think the athlete retreat is something athletes of all faith backgrounds can benefit from and enjoy. Hopefully in the future we can get more teams to participate so athletes can get to know students from other teams and compare their experiences. With enough interest, it would be great to offer two dates so that all athletes have an opportunity to attend the retreat regardless of their sport’s season.

Written by Jennifer Sullivan, N’18.