At a school that values athletics, it is no surprise that many freshmen flock to tryouts for the variety of sports that Aragon offers. Although some underclassman would rather choose to stay within their grade level on freshman or junior varsity teams, most strive to make varsity. Amidst the glory that comes with making the varsity cut, freshman players may feel intimidated when playing with upperclassmen.
After making it onto a varsity team, there are several ways freshmen can bond with the upperclassmen. For example, the varsity girls lacrosse team and varsity girls soccer team participate in secret sister gift exchanges and attend alumni games. Additionally, like many other teams, they have a group chat that includes all players. Due to the inclusive nature of these activities, freshmen generally are able to make new friends on the team despite the age gaps.
“It’s a lot of fun playing with the other girls who have been playing for a while and who have a lot of experience and know what they’re doing,” said freshman Lilly Loghmani, an attacker on the girls lacrosse team. “Everyone’s really good, and the team works well together … the chemistry really shows on the field and off the field.”
Younger players may fear upperclassmen, as the potential difference of skill can cause tension and intimidation. However, Loghmani notes that this happens on a case-by-case basis.
“It depends person to person — some people are more intimidating than others,” Loghmani said, “especially depending on skill level and demeanor.”
“There are a lot of different personalities on the lacrosse team, and that can lead to a lot of laughter”
However, rarely do age differences create a feeling of social hierarchy. Mainly, it results in jokes and teasing. For example, on the girls lacrosse team, freshmen clean up after drills and practice; this includes tasks such as putting away the goalie bag.
Additionally, many coaches at Aragon work to bridge connections between players to ensure success for the team.
“We learned fundamentals together and mixed up pairings, so freshmen had a chance to learn from seniors,” said girls lacrosse coach Kalyn Olson. “Our team doesn’t revolve around one player; it is a team of pieces that all fit together.”
Each player’s personality and skill brings something unique to the team. Despite the age gaps, players are able to show off their abilities on the field.
“Everyone plays on the lacrosse team,” Olson said. “Every single grade level has scored at some point during our first four games, and our best game had six different scorers on the board. Everyone plays a role.”
Although freshmen may feel nervous at practices or in games, other teammates don’t point this out; Instead, older teammates often work to help freshmen feel more comfortable and welcome.
“Playing varsity is really exciting, but at some moments in the game it becomes really stressful, and I sometimes become nervous,” said girls varsity basketball shooting guard freshman Jordan Beaumont. “[However,] the culture on our basketball team has made me feel just as important as any other member on the team.”
In addition, outside of practice and games, Aragon athletes of different grade levels are still able to enjoy spending time with each other and form a friendship that is maintained off the field.
“There are a lot of different personalities on the lacrosse team, and that can lead to a lot of laughter,” Olson said. “My hope is that we are always laughing together, but I’m sure half of their jokes fly over my head.”
While varsity players vary in age and grade, athletes are able to shake off these differences, emphasizing sportsmanship and friendship to form a cohesive team.
