How the Wildcats became Kentucky's Team during weekend retreat

The fall semester is underway at the University of Kentucky, classes beginning Monday ahead of the 2024-25 academic year. Before the chaos of school and practice ramped back up for the men’s basketball team, though, the Wildcats traveled to Hazard for a team bonding retreat.

And it wasn’t to roast marshmallows and sing campfire songs out in the wilderness. Instead, the team gave back in the community, building houses for those impacted by the recent floods in Eastern Kentucky.

The weekend retreat started with the team bringing out the hammers and nails, framing up each wall one board at a time.

“For me, this week and especially day one hearing the stories from these families and what they’ve gone through with the floods in Eastern Kentucky, it was really important for me to know what it means to wear Kentucky across my jersey,” Jaxson Robinson said. “I think it’s important we go out and build relationships with all people of Kentucky, in Eastern Kentucky. That’s going to carry a long way going into the season.”

They went out in the community for a cookout in Hazard at Perry County Park before putting the hard hats back on going into day two. That included building decks and some interior work, among other hands-on activities.

“It was a really unique experience to grow with teammates and see them working hard just as they would for basketball, but in a day-to-day thing by ripping up floorboards and things like that,” Andrew Carr added. “It was really cool to see them in a different environment trying to serve other people.”

The weekend wasn’t all about community service, though. The Cats then got to enjoy their last day out on the water, riding jet skis and tubing on the lake. Mark Pope even dove in to get the party started from the boat.

Needless to say, an all-time weekend for Kentucky basketball going into the 2024-25 season.

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