The famous epitome of high school athletics is playing on a varsity team. Varsity athletes represent the best and most talented athletes in a school, and making the varsity team in your sport is undeniably an impressive accomplishment. However, there is a trend emerging in the athletic world: more and more athletes are excelling at their sports at increasingly young ages. Here at RM, this can be seen in the ever-growing number of varsity athletes who are in ninth grade. These athletes are proving their ability to compete at this high level as they bring energy, talent, and remarkable determination to their respective sports.
One athlete is freshman Sophia Fox, who is on the varsity field hockey team this year at RM. “ I was surprised when I heard that I made the team, but also very happy,” Fox said. Playing on varsity as a freshman comes with unique challenges and obstacles. With teammates who have been on the team for much longer than you, they will often form relationships that carry through seasons. “I think it’s a little bit of a challenge just to be on the team because some people have made their own friend groups,” Fox said. However, this was not a negative experience for her: “I think [the older athletes] are all so nice and they do a great job including me and I think it’s great.” Fox said. This camaraderie and support for all members of the team is part of the reason Fox does so well on the field: “[Fox] is always composed with the ball, she can keep possession of it, clear it away from dangerous areas in the circle, and pass it out to a teammate,” Coach Sam Griffin said.
Similar stories can be seen in other sports at RM. Freshman Ellyn Kim is on the varsity volleyball team. “I’m actually super stoked because I’ve been wanting to play with some of the people on this team for a really long time and it just feels like such an honor to be part of such a strong team; I feel really lucky,” Kim said. She notes that her experiences with club volleyball have helped to prepare her for the level of commitment and the caliber of competition with varsity sports, and though she was nervous at tryouts she was confident in her skills. “It is an honor to be able to play with such experienced people,” Kim said. “I am pretty proud of myself for my achievement and I just feel really lucky.”
As the seasons progress, these freshmen will continue to play a critical role in their teams’ success. Their adaptability to the challenges of varsity sports this early in their careers speaks not only to their determination but also to their love and passion for sports. They are poised to become the next faces of Rocket Athletics in the years ahead, showing that the next generation of high school sports is already here and setting precedents for what freshmen can and will accomplish.
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