The St. Thomas men’s track and field team is known for its strong photo-finishes at the end of races, but it may soon be known for the photos featured in a team calendar.

The team purchased the calendars back in December and are selling them for $10 with profits going to the Minnesota Children’s Hospital. The calendars officially went on sale at the end of January.

Senior Eyo Ekpo said the idea started off as a joke with a friend and later transformed into an idea to raise money for charity.

Senior Connor Ott offered up his photography skills and inspired the team to get the ball rolling.

“(Junior) Joe (Wistrcill) had originally came to me and mentioned that he was looking for a photographer, and I told him that it was a hobby of mine,” Ott said. “When he mentioned to me that it was for charity, it inspired me to take time out of my day and take pictures for the team.”

The photos were taken throughout the fall and involved photos at Wistrcill’s home and places around campus. The team also executed the idea on their own.

“We did this on our own without the help of the coaches,” Wistrcill said. “Erik Diley (our assistant coach) thought it was funny and told us to run with it.”

The calendars offer a lot of fun pictures, Wistrcill said.

“The months are classic … the big holidays are generally more silly. For example, the Fourth of July is two of our guys posing with an American flag in the background and doing the classic ‘Olympic’ pose,” Wistrcill said.

Sophomore Alexandra Massart said she would definitely buy one of the calendars.

“I think the calendars are really fun,” Massart said. “The fact that they’re for charity makes it all the better.”

Because the calendars are unique, junior Mary Rogers said the team could have done a better job advertising.

“I think it’s a good idea, but I honestly have not seen it advertised anywhere,” Rogers said. “They should make a Facebook group or something.”

Allison Balfanz, Minnesota Children’s Hospital ePhilanthropy development associate, said ideas like these could create great team bonding.

“Working together to raise funds for an organization that is meaningful to students is a great way to bring pride and teamwork to a team,” Balfanz said. “It can create a bond between teammates and help them learn the importance of generosity in the community.”

For Ekpo, creating the calendar has brought the team closer.

“The team is already really close together as it is … but especially when you have people taking pictures that are in a calendar and doing whatever poses that may be,” Ekpo said. “It’s just a better way to laugh with one another.

Each team member is featured on the calendar, and Ekpo said making it was an experience everyone on the team could share.

“No matter how good someone may be, or how little someone may think they contribute to the team, everyone’s still on the calendar,” Ekpo said. “That’s something we can all share.”

Alison Bengtson can be reached at beng4632@stthomas.edu.