Straight to varsity

The ultimate goal and highest achievement for high school athletes is to make the varsity team. The prestigious title of a varsity player is usually reserved for upper class men, but sometimes underclassmen make the cut and join the varsity ranking.

Four years ago, current seniors were entering the ninth grade and many began their first experience of try outs.

Some freshman were recognized right off the bat for their athletic abilities by varsity coaches and skipped JV and went right to playing on the varsity level.

Soccer, softball, tennis, lacrosse, and many other sports added freshman to their rosters with open arms.

Senior Lauren O’Sullivan was recruited to play varsity soccer her freshman year which impacted her athletic career as she continued to excel in her favorite sport.

O’Sullivan shared that as a senior with four years of varsity soccer under her belt she has taken a bigger leadership role among the younger players, “I became captain so I stepped up and leaded the team.”

O’Sullivan also discussed that, “Being younger than everyone else on my team I was definitely scared at first, but they were all so nice and I’m still friends with all the seniors that graduated years ago.”

By being a part of the varsity team for four consecutive years, O’Sullivan stated she had grown as a player, “I have definitely become more experienced by playing with older girls who were tougher against me which built up my strength.”

Through O’Sullivan dedication to her sport, she has improved as a player and a person. O’Sullivan plans on attending Wesley College where she will continue her career in soccer.

Another athlete that made the varsity team her freshman year is Kristin Stiles. Stiles has been a part of the varsity softball team since her freshman year.

Stiles also took on a leadership role where she would be put into the position to help out with practices and mentor her fellow teammates.

Stiles experience as the youngest on the team was similar to O’Sullivans, “It was definitely nerve racking because they’re all obviously bigger than you, but I knew most of them because my sister used to be on the same team.”

Throughout her experience over her four years Stiles has gained many skills and lessons, “I got stronger as a player because we were always playing different teams not the same ten girls.”

Other athletes that also achieved making varsity their freshman year and continued for the rest of their high school career included JT Kidd, varsity lacrosse, Ada Heinze, varsity softball, Paul Johnson, varsity wrestling, and Megan Waskiewicz, varsity tennis.

Being selected to join the varsity team is an honor, but especially when making the team as a freshman.