RM Fall Sports: Photo Essay

soccer practice
Ella Koenig
Dribbling the ball, junior McKenzie Welter prepares to take a shot during a practice drill. Welter has been playing RM soccer since her freshman year. As of September 16, 2021, the girls varsity team is 3-1; sporting wins against Paint Branch, Smithsburg, and Gaithersburg, with a loss against Northwest. “Being a part of this team is so much fun and I can’t wait to see what the rest of the season holds,” Welter said.

Ever since the establishment of the county’s first three public school gymnasiums in 1927, sports have been a huge part of MCPS schools. The Richard Montgomery gym opened in 1929 and basketball became the primary sport of the school. Since then, RM has expanded its athletics program to include over 20+ sports and 40+ teams. In the fall, RM offers Cheerleading, Cross Country, Field Hockey, Football, Golf, Poms, Soccer, and Volleyball. 

Although “Rocket Athletics” is a common phrase emblazoned on practice jerseys nowadays, it wasn’t always that way. Following the establishment of the gyms, RMHS teams began by using “the Yellow Tide” as their moniker. This continued until 1937, when the outstanding girls basketball team garnered the nickname the “Rockettes” after being compared to the New York City Rockettes. According to the Montgomery County Historical Society, this is where the name “Rockets,” now used by all RMHS teams, was derived.

As with most high schools, RM fall sports begin with tryouts. Tryouts take place in early August, with athletes being sorted into either junior varsity (JV) or varsity teams. The early start leaves teams with about a month of practices before diving into games or competitions. Most teams practice five to six days a week, minus game days. Practices can go up to three hours, depending on the sport.

Although practices begin in August, the official fall season stretches from early September to late November. During the official season, each team plays against the respective JV and varsity teams of high schools in their divisions. Fall JV teams play on average about 10 games per season, while varsity teams play about 13. The extra games account for playoffs, in which varsity teams compete in a tournament-style knockout against other county teams to win a spot in the state playoffs and possibly state championship.

The athletes on the field aren’t the only major part of RM sports. Poms and cheerleading, demanding sports in their own right, are a major part of raising morale amongst students. Cheer takes the sidelines to hype up the crowd, while poms puts on a weekly halftime show at Friday night football games.

With such a wide range of options, many students find their niche in one of RM’s sports teams. Others work as team managers, photographers or social media managers. As October nears, so does the peak of fall sports. Game results for the season so far, as well as upcoming games, can be found on the Tide Sports Center.