SALEM, Va. — Before taking the field in pursuit of a national championship, the men’s soccer team spent time volunteering with HopeTree Family Services in Virginia on Thursday.

While their opponents tomorrow will be some of the best soccer players in Division III, today they faced a daunting challenge in the form of intense games of Bunco and Wii Sports.

The Tommies socialized with residents of a HopeTree home for the intellectually disabled for an hour the day before their Final Four matchup against Tufts University. HopeTree provides a number of services, including foster care, education programs, and other programs for at-risk children.

The experience was both fun and educational for the team.

“It’s humbling, just because we realize how fortunate we are to be in our position. Not even in the Final Four, but to be able to live our lives the way we do. It’s just an honor,” said junior forward Shae Bottum.

Head coach Jon Lowery was happy to have the opportunity to serve with his players.

“I met some great people. I really enjoyed watching the guys spend some time with them as well,” he said. “It was great, because I think after about ten to 15 minutes of our 60 minutes there it was a very relaxed environment. You could see the smile on everyone’s face.”

The team got to know some of the residents on a personal level, which Bottum said was a nice aspect of the service.

“I sat with a lady that was coloring, and she just wanted to introduce herself. She wanted people to pay attention to her more than anything, and that’s what it’s all about,” he said. “They wanted to feel like they were companions with us for the day. It felt cool to do.”

The service trip offered players and coaches a chance to work with people that they don’t interact with in their everyday lives. Lowery said it gave some perspective.

“You feel fortunate, you feel blessed to be in the situation you’re in with a team and a group of guys like this,” he said. “It just really puts things in perspective, and also just gives you a sense of giving back.”

The NCAA assigned every team participating in the men’s and women’s Final Fours to serve in some fashion before the tournament.

With anticipation reaching its peak before the semifinals, Lowery said this was a much-needed opportunity to step back from it all for a little while.

“I looked at my assistant coaches and said ‘I needed this.’ We’ve been thinking so much about this game. To step out of the box for an hour and half and turn your competitive juices off, and think about something else that’s not really related to what we’ve been doing was a nice release,” he said.

The Tommies play Tufts tomorrow at 11 a.m. EST with a spot in the national championship on the line.

Spencer Flaten can be reached at flat6148@stthomas.edu.